THE     ADVENTURE    S 
OF     ODYSSEUS    AND 
THE    TALE     OF     TROY 
BY    PADRA1C      COLUM 


THE  MACM1LLAN  COMPANY  NEWYORK 


BATH 


U    N    D 


p^ 


I  \ 


th* 


c 


IN 


s  s 


eaten?— 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00022094895 


THE  ADVENTURE  S 
OF  ODYSSEUS  AND 
THE       TALE   OF     TROY 


*$   ^"*    o 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

NBW  YORK    •    BOSTON   •    CHICAGO    •    DALLAS 
ATLANTA  -    SAN    FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Limited 

LONDON    •    BOMBAY    •    CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Ltd. 

TORONTO 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hil 


http://www.archive.org/details/adventuresofodyscolu 


THE  ADVENTURES 
OF  ODYSSEUS  AND 
THE  TALE  Of  TROY 

BYPADRA1C  COLUM 


PRESENTED    BY 

M1IYPOGANY 

THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY  NEWYORK 


COPYRIGHT,    I918,    BY   THE   MACMILLAN   COMPANY. 
SET   UP   AND   ELECTROTYPED.      PUBLISHED    NOVEMBER,    I918. 


REPRINTED   JUNE,    OCTOBER,    I919  ;     OCTOBER,    I92O;     AUGUST, 
1922;     MARCH,    1923;     MAY,    I924  ;     JUNE,    1925. 


NotfaOoB  $«0S  :  J.  S.  Cushing  Co.  -  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Massachusetts,  U.S.A. 


FOR  HUGHIE  AND  PETER 

THIS  TELLING  OF  THE  WORLD'S  GREATEST  STORY 

BECAUSE   THEIR   IMAGINATIONS 

RISE  TO  DEEDS  AND  WONDERS 


PART  I 

How  Telemachus  the  Son  of  Odysseus  Was  Moved  to  Go  on 
a  Voyage  in  Search  of  His  Father  and  How  He  Heard 
feom  menelaus  and  helen  the  tale  of  troy    ...  i 

PART  II 

How  Odysseus  Left  Calypso's  Island  and  Came  to  the  Land 
of  the  Phaeacxans;  How  He  Told  He  Fared  with  the 
Cyclopes  and  Went  Past  the   Terrible  Scylla  and  Cha- 

RYBDIS    AND    CAME    TO    THE    ISLAND    OF    ThRINACIA    WHERE   HlS 

Men  Slaughtered  the  Cattle  of  the  Sun  ;   How  He  Was 
Given  a  Ship  by  the  Phaeactans  and  Came  to  His  Own 
Land  ;   How  He  Overthrew  the  Wooers  Who  Wasted  His 
Substance  and  Came  to  Reign  Again  as  King  of  Ithaka   .       125 
vii 


I    i    L    U     ST     RAT     I     ONS 


COLOUR   PLATES 
The  Judgement  of  Paris Frontispiece 

FACING   PAGE 

The  Fair  Helen 30 

Achilles  Victorious 106 

The  Princess  Threw  the  Ball 138 

The  Sorrowing  Odysseus 148 

Circe j~0 

The  Sirens Ty5 

Penelope  Unravelling  the  Web 221 


PARTI 


H  O  W  TEl^EMACHVl  S 
THE  SOX  OF  ODYS 
SEUS  WAS  MOVED 
TOGO  ON  A         ^      O 

YA.CE  IN  SEARCH 
OF  HIS  FATHER  AND 
HOW        HE  HEA.RD 

FRONl  IVlENELrAUS 

AND        HELEN  THE 

TAIjE  OF  TROT 


HIS  is  the  story  of  Odysseus,  the  most 
renowned  of  all  the  heroes  the  Greek 
poets  have  told  us  of  —  of  Odysseus,  his 
wars  and  his  wanderings.  And  this  story 
of  Odysseus  begins  with  his  son,  the 
youth  who  was  called  Telemachus. 
It  was  when  Telemachus  was  a  child 
of  a  month  old  that  a  messenger  came  from  Agamemnon,  the 
Great  King,  bidding  Odysseus  betake  himself  to  the  war  against 
Troy  that  the  Kings  and  Princes  of  Greece  were  about  to  wage. 
The  wise  Odysseus,  foreseeing  the  disasters  that  would  befall 
all  that  entered  that  war,  was  loth  to  go.  And  so  when  Aga- 
memnon's messenger  came  to  the  island  of  Ithaka  where  he 
was  King,  Odysseus  pretended  to  be  mad.  And  that  the  mes- 
senger, Palamedes,  might  believe  he  was  mad  indeed,  he  did  a 
thing  that  no  man  ever  saw  being  done  before  —  he  took  an 
ass  and  an  ox  and  yoked  them  together  to  the  same  plough 
and  began  to  plough  a  field.     And  when  he  had  ploughed  a 


4  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

furrow  he  sowed  it,  not  with  seeds  that  would  grow,  but  with 
salt.  When  Palamedes  saw  him  doing  this  he  was  nearly  per- 
suaded that  Odysseus  was  mad.  But  to  test  him  he  took  the 
child  Telemachus  and  laid  him  down  in  the  field  in  the  way  of 
the  plough.  Odysseus,  when  he  came  near  to  where  the  child 
lay,  turned  the  plough  aside  and  thereby  showed  that  he  was 
not  a  mad  man.  Then  had  he  to  take  King  Agamemnon's  sum- 
mons. And  Agamemnon's  word  was  that  Odysseus  should  go 
to  Aulis  where  the  ships  of  the  Kings  and  Princes  of  Greece 
were  being  gathered.  But  first  he  was  to  go  into  another 
country  to  seek  the  hero  Achilles  and  persuade  him  also  to  enter 
the  war  against  Troy. 

And  so  Odysseus  bade  good-bye  to  his  infant  son,  Telemachus, 
and  to  his  young  wife,  Penelope,  and  to  his  father,  old  Laertes. 
And  he  bade  good-bye  to  his  house  and  his  lands  and  to  the  island 
of  Ithaka  where  he  was  King.  He  summoned  a  council  of  the 
chief  men  of  Ithaka  and  commended  to  their  care  his  wife  and 
his  child  and  all  his  household,  and  thereafter  he  took  his  sailors 
and  his  fighting  men  with  him  and  he  sailed  away.  The  years 
went  by  and  Odysseus  did  not  return.  After  ten  years  the  City 
was  taken  by  the  Kings  and  Princes  of  Greece  and  the  thread 
of  war  was  wound  up.  But  still  Odysseus  did  not  return.  And 
now  minstrels  came  to  Ithaka  with  word  of  the  deaths  or  the 
homecomings  of  the  heroes  who  had  fought  in  the  war  against 
Troy.  But  no  minstrel  brought  any  word  of  Odysseus,  of  his 
death  or  of  his  appearance  in  any  land  known  to  men.     Ten 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


years  more  went  by.  And  now  that  infant  son  whom  he  had 
left  behind,  Telemachus,  had  grown  up  and  was  a  young  man  of 
strength  and  purpose. 

II 

NE  day,  as  he  sat  sad  and  disconsolate  in 
the  house  of  his  father,  the  youth  Telema- 
chus saw  a  stranger  come  to  the  outer 
gate.  There  were  many  in  the  court  out- 
side, but  no  one  went  to  receive  the  new- 
comer. Then,  because  he  would  never 
let  a  stranger  stand  at  the  gate  without 
hurrying  out  to  welcome  him,  and  because,  too,  he  had  hopes 
that  some  day  such  a  one  would  bring  him  tidings  of  his  father, 
Telemachus  rose  up  from  where  he  was  sitting  and  went  down 
the  hall  and  through  the  court  and  to  the  gate  at  which  the 
stranger  stood. 

'Welcome  to  the  house  of  Odysseus,'  said  Telemachus  giving 
him  his  hand.  The  stranger  clasped  it  with  a  friendly  clasp. 
'I  thank  you,  Telemachus,'  he  said,  'for  your  welcome,  and 
glad  I  am  to  enter  the  house  of  your  father,  the  renowned 
Odysseus.' 

The  stranger  looked  like  one  who  would  be  a  captain  amongst 
soldiers.  His  eyes  were  grey  and  clear  and  shone  wonderfully. 
In  his  hand  he  carried  a  great  bronze  spear.  He  and  Telemachus 
went  together  through  the  court  and  into  the  hall.     And  when 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  7 

the  stranger  left  his  spear  within  the  spearstand  Telemachus 
took  him  to  a  high  chair  and  put  a  footstool  under  his  feet. 

He  had  brought  him  to  a  place  in  the  hall  where  the  crowd 
would  not  come.  There  were  many  in  the  court  outside  and 
Telemachus  would  not  have  his  guest  disturbed  by  questions  or 
clamours.  A  handmaid  brought  water  for  the  washing  of  his 
hands,  and  poured  it  over  them  from  a  golden  ewer  into  a  silver 
basin.  A  polished  table  was  left  at  his  side.  Then  the  house- 
dame  brought  wheaten  bread  and  many  dainties.  Other  ser- 
vants set  down  dishes  of  meat  with  golden  cups,  and  afterwards 
the  maids  came  into  the  hall  and  filled  up  the  cups  with  wine. 

But  the  servants  who  waited  on  Telemachus  and  his  guest 
were  disturbed  by  the  crowd  of  men  who  now  came  into  the 
hall.  They  seated  themselves  at  tables  and  shouted  out  their 
orders.  Great  dishes  of  meat  were  brought  to  them  and  bowls 
of  wine,  and  the  men  ate  and  drank  and  talked  loudly  to  each 
other  and  did  not  refrain  even  from  staring  at  the  stranger  who 
sat  with  Telemachus. 

'Is  there  a  wedding-feast  in  the  house?'  the  stranger  asked, 
'or  do  the  men  of  your  clan  meet  here  to  drink  with  each  other  ? ' 

A  flush  of  shame  came  to  the  face  of  Telemachus.  'There  is 
no  wedding-feast  here,'  he  said,  'nor  do  the  men  of  our  clan 
meet  here  to  drink  with  each  other.  Listen  to  me,  my  guest. 
Because  you  look  so  wise  and  because  you  seem  so  friendly  to 
my  father's  name  I  will  tell  you  who  these  men  are  and  why 
they  trouble  this  house.' 


8 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 


HEREUPON  Telemachus  told  the  stranger 
how  his  father  had  not  returned  from  the 
war  of  Troy  although  it  was  now  ten  years 
since  the  City  was  taken  by  those  with 
whom  he  went.  'Alas,'  Telemachus  said, 
'  he  must  have  died  on  his  way  back  to  us, 
and  I  must  think  that  his  bones  lie  under 
some  nameless  strait  or  channel  of  the  ocean.  Would  he  had 
died  in  the  fight  at  Troy  !  Then  the  Kings  and  Princes  would 
have  made  him  a  burial-mound  worthy  of  his  name  and  his 
deeds.  His  memory  would  have  been  reverenced  amongst  men, 
and  I,  his  son,  would  have  a  name,  and  would  not  be  imposed 
upon  by  such  men  as  you  see  here  —  men  who  are  feasting 
and  giving  orders  in  my  father's  house  and  wasting  the  substance 
that  he  gathered.' 

'  How  come  they  to  be  here  ? '  asked  the  stranger. 
Telemachus  told  him  about  this  also.  When  seven  years  had 
gone  by  from  the  fall  of  Troy  and  still  Odysseus  did  not  return 
there  were  those  who  thought  he  was  dead  and  would  never  be 
seen  more  in  the  land  of  Ithaka.  Then  many  of  the  young  lords 
of  the  land  wanted  Penelope,  Telemachus'  mother,  to  marry  one 
of  them.  They  came  to  the  house  to  woo  her  for  marriage.  But 
she,  mourning  for  the  absence  of  Odysseus  and  ever  hoping  that 
he  would  return,  would  give  no  answer  to  them.  For  three 
years  now  they  were  coming  to  the  house  of  Odysseus  to  woo 
the  wife  whom  he  had  left  behind  him.      'They  want  to  put 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  9 

my  lady-mother  between  two  dread  difficulties,'  said  Tele- 
machus,  'either  to  promise  to  wed  one  of  them  or  to  see  the 
substance  of  our  house  wasted  by  them.  Here  they  come  and 
eat  the  bread  of  our  fields,  and  slay  the  beasts  of  our  flocks  and 
herds,  and  drink  the  wine  that  in  the  old  days  my  father  laid  up, 
and  weary  our  servants  with  their  orders.' 

When  he  had  told  him  all  this  Telemachus  raised  his  head 
and  looked  at  the  stranger:  '0  my  guest,'  he  said,  'wisdom 
and  power  shine  out  of  your  eyes.  Speak  now  to  me  and  tell 
me  what  I  should  do  to  save  the  house  of  Odysseus  from  ruin. 
And  tell  me  too  if  you  think  it  possible  that  my  father  should 
still  be  in  life.' 

The  stranger  looked  at  him  with  his  grey,  clear,  wonderfully- 
shining  eyes.  'Art  thou  verily  the  son  of  Odysseus?'  said 
he. 

'Verily,  I  am  the  son  of  Odysseus,'  said  Telemachus. 

'As  I  look  at  you,'  said  the  stranger,  'I  mark  your  head  and 
eyes,  and  I  know  they  are  such  a  head  and  such  eyes  as  Odysseus 
had.  Well,  being  the  son  of  such  a  man,  and  of  such  a  woman 
as  the  lady  Penelope,  your  spirit  surely  shall  find  a  way  of 
destroying  those  wooers  who  would  destroy  your  house.' 

'Already,'  said  Telemachus,  'your  gaze  and  your  speech 
make  me  feel  equal  to  the  task  of  dealing  with  them.' 

'I  think,'  said  the  stranger,  'that  Odysseus,  your  father, 
has  not  perished  from  the  earth.  He  may  yet  win  home 
through  labors  and  perils.     But  you  should  seek  for  tidings 


io  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

of  him.     Harken    to  me  now   and  I  shall    tell    you    what  to 
do. 

'  To-morrow  summon  a  council  of  all  the  chief  men  of  the  land 
of  Ithaka,  and  stand  up  in  that  council  and  declare  that  the  time 
has  come  for  the  wooers  who  waste  your  substance  to  scatter, 
each  man  to  his  own  home.  And  after  the  council  has  been 
held  I  would  have  you  voyage  to  find  out  tidings  of  your  father, 
whether  he  still  lives  and  where  he  might  be.  Go  to  Pylos  first, 
to  the  home  of  Nestor,  that  old  King  who  was  with  your  father 
in  the  war  of  Troy.  Beg  Nestor  to  give  you  whatever  tidings 
he  has  of  Odysseus.  And  from  Pylos  go  to  Sparta,  to  the  home 
of  Menelaus  and  Helen,  and  beg  tidings  of  your  father  from  them 
too.  And  if  you  get  news  of  his  being  alive,  return  :  It  will  be 
easy  for  you  then  to  endure  for  another  year  the  wasting  of  your 
substance  by  those  wooers.  But  if  you  learn  that  your  father, 
the  renowned  Odysseus,  is  indeed  dead  and  gone,  then  come 
back,  and  in  your  own  country  raise  a  great  funeral  mound  to 
his  memory,  and  over  it  pay  all  funeral  rites.  Then  let  your 
mother  choose  a  good  man  to  be  her  husband  and  let  her  marry 
him,  knowing  for  a  certainty  that  Odysseus  will  never  come  back 
to  his  own  house.  After  that  something  will  remain  for  you  to 
do:  You  will  have  to  punish  those  wooers  who  destroy  the 
goods  your  father  gathered  and  who  insult  his  house  by  their 
presence.  And  when  all  these  things  have  been  done,  you, 
Telemachus,  will  be  free  to  seek  out  your  own  fortune:  you  will 
rise  to  fame,  for  I  mark  that  you  are  handsome  and  strong  and 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  n 

most  likely  to  be  a  wise  and  valiant  man.  But  now  I  must  fare 
on  my  journey.' 

The  stranger  rose  up  from  where  he  sat  and  went  with  Tele- 
machus  from  the  hall  and  through  the  court  and  to  the  outer 
gate.  Telemachus  said:  'What  you  have  told  me  I  shall  not 
forget.  I  know  you  have  spoken  out  of  a  wise  and  a  friendly 
heart,  and  as  a  father  to  his  son.' 

The  stranger  clasped  his  hands  and  went  through  the  gate. 
And  then,  as  he  looked  after  him  Telemachus  saw  the  stranger 
change  in  his  form.  He  became  first  as  a  woman,  tall,  with  fair 
hair  and  a  spear  of  bronze  in  her  hand.  And  then  the  form  of  a 
woman  changed  too.  It  changed  into  a  great  sea-eagle  that  on 
wide  wings  rose  up  and  flew  high  through  the  air.  Telemachus 
knew  then  that  his  visitor  was  an  immortal  and  no  other  than  the 
goddess  Athene  who  had  been  his  father's  friend. 


Ill 


HEN  Telemachus  went  back  to  the  hall 
those  who  were  feasting  there  had  put  the 
wine-cups  from  them  and  were  calling  out 
for  Phemius,  the  minstrel,  to  come  and 
sing  some  tale  to  delight  them.  And  as 
he  went  amongst  them  one  of  the  wooers 
said  to  another,  '  The  guest  who  was  with 
him  has  told  Telemachus  something  that  has  changed  his  bear- 


12  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

ing.  Never  before  did  I  see  him  hold  himself  so  proudly. 
Mayhap  he  has  spoken  to  him  of  the  return  of  his  father,  the 
renowned  Odysseus.' 

Phemius  came  and  the  wooers  called  upon  him  to  sing 
them  a  tale.  And  the  minstrel,  in  flowing  verse,  began  the 
tale  of  the  return  of  the  Kings  and  Princes  from  Troy,  and  of 
how  some  god  or  goddess  put  a  trouble  upon  them  as  they  left 
the  City  they  had  taken.  And  as  the  minstrel  began  the  tale, 
Penelope,  Telemachus'  lady-mother,  was  coming  down  the 
stairs  with  two  hand-maids  beside  her.  She  heard  the 
words  he  sang,  and  she  stood  still  in  her  grief  and  drew 
her  veil  across  her  face.  'O  Phemius,'  she  cried,  'cease  from 
that  story  that  ever  wastes  my  heart  —  the  story  that  has 
brought  me  sorrow  and  that  leaves  me  comfortless  all  my 
days !  O  Phemius,  do  you  not  know  other  tales  of  men 
and  gods  that  you  might  sing  in  this  hall  for  the  delight  of 
my  noble  wooers?' 

The  minstrel  would  have  ceased  when  Penelope  spoke  thus  to 
him,  but  Telemachus  went  to  the  stairway  where  his  lady-mother 
stood,  and  addressed  her. 

'My  lady-mother,'  said  he,  'why  should  you  not  let  the 
minstrel  delight  the  company  with  such  songs  as  the  spirit 
moves  him  to  give  us  ?  It  is  no  blame  to  him  if  he  sings  of  that 
which  is  sorrowful  to  us.  As  for  you,  my  mother,  you  must 
learn  to  endure  that  story,  for  long  will  it  be  sung  and  far  and 
wide.     And  you  are  not  the  only  one  who  is  bereaved  —  many 


i4  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

another  man  besides  Odysseus  lost  the  happy  day  of  his  home- 
coming in  the  war  of  Troy.' 

Penelope,  his  lady-mother,  looked  in  surprise  at  the  youth  who 
spoke  to  her  so  wisely.  Was  this  indeed  Telemachus  who  before 
had  hardly  lifted  his  head  ?  And  as  she  looked  at  him  again  she 
saw  that  he  carried  his  head  —  that  head  of  his  that  was  so  like 
Odysseus'  —  high  and  proudly.  She  saw  that  her  son  was  now 
indeed  a  man.  Penelope  spoke  no  word  to  him,  for  a  new  thought 
had  come  into  her  mind.  She  turned  round  on  the  stairs  and 
went  back  with  her  hand-maids  to  the  chamber  where  her  loom 
and  her  distaff  were.  And  as  she  went  up  the  stairway  and 
away  from  them  her  wooers  muttered  one  to  the  other  that  she 
would  soon  have  to  choose  one  of  them  for  her  husband. 

Telemachus  turned  to  those  who  were  standing  at  the  tables 
and  addressed  them.  'Wooers  of  my  mother,'  he  said,  'I  have 
a  word  to  say  to  you.' 

'By  the  gods,  youth,'  said  one  of  the  wooers,  'you  must  tell 
us  first  who  he  is  who  has  made  you  so  high  and  proud  of  speech.' 

'Surely,'  said  another,  'he  who  has  done  that  is  the  stranger 
who  was  with  him.  Who  is  he?  Why  did  he  come  here,  and 
of  what  land  has  he  declared  himself  to  be  ?  ' 

'  Why  did  he  not  stay  so  that  we  might  look  at  him  and  speak 
to  him  ? '  said  another  of  the  wooers. 

'These  are  the  words  I  would  say  to  you.  Let  us  feast  now 
in  peace,  without  any  brawling  amongst  us,  and  listen  to  the  tale 
that  the  minstrel  sings  to  us,'  said  Telemachus.      '  But  to-morrow 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  15 

let  us  have  a  council  made  up  of  the  chief  men  of  this  land  of 
Ithaka.  I  shall  go  to  the  council  and  speak  there.  I  shall  ask 
that  you  leave  this  house  of  mine  and  feast  on  goods  that  you 
yourselves  have  gathered.  Let  the  chief  men  judge  whether  I 
speak  in  fairness  to  you  or  not.  If  you  do  not  heed  what  I  will 
say  openly  at  the  council,  before  all  the  chief  men  of  our  land, 
then  let  it  be  on  your  own  heads  what  will  befall  you.' 

All  the  wooers  marvelled  that  Telemachus  spoke  so  boldly. 
And  one  said,  'Because  his  father,  Odysseus,  was  king,  this  youth 
thinks  he  should  be  king  by  inheritance.  But  may  Zeus,  the  god, 
never  grant  that  he  be  king.' 

Then  said  Telemachus,  '  If  the  god  Zeus  should  grant  that  I  be 
King,  I  am  ready  to  take  up  the  Kingship  of  the  land  of  Ithaka 
with  all  its  toils  and  all  its  dangers.'  And  when  Telemachus  said 
that  he  looked  like  a  young  king  indeed. 

But  they  sat  in  peace  and  listened  to  what  the  minstrel  sang. 
And  when  evening  came  the  wooers  left  the  hall  and  went  each 
to  his  own  house.  Telemachus  rose  and  went  to  his  chamber. 
Before  him  there  went  an  ancient  woman  who  had  nursed  him 
as  a  child  —  Eurycleia  was  her  name.  She  carried  burning 
torches  to  light  his  way.  And  when  they  were  in  his  chamber 
Telemachus  took  off  his  soft  doublet  and  put  it  in  Eurycleia's 
hands,  and  she  smoothed  it  out  and  hung  it  on  the  pin  at  his  bed- 
side. Then  she  went  out  and  she  closed  the  door  behind  with 
its  handle  of  silver  and  she  pulled  the  thong  that  bolted  the  door 
on  the  other  side.     And  all  night  long  Telemachus  lay  wrapped 


i6 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 


in  his  fleece  of  wool  and  thought  on  what  he  would  say  at  the 
council  next  day,  and  on  the  goddess  Athene  and  what  she  had 
put  into  his  heart  to  do,  and  on  the  journey  that  was  before  him 
to  Nestor  in  Pylos  and  to  Menelaus  and  Helen  in  Sparta. 


IV 


soon  as  it  was  dawn  Telemachus  rose 
from  his  bed.  He  put  on  his  raiment, 
bound  his  sandals  on  his  feet,  hung  his 
sharp  sword  across  his  shoulder,  and  took 
in  his  hand  a  spear  of  bronze.  Then  he 
went  forth  to  where  the  Council  was 
being  held  in  the  open  air,  and  two  swift 
hounds  went  beside  him. 

The  chief  men  of  the  land  of  Ithaka  had  been  gathered  al- 
ready for  the  council.  When  it  was  plain  that  all  were  there,  the 
man  who  was  oldest  amongst  them,  the  lord  ^Egyptus,  rose  up 
and  spoke.  He  had  sons,  and  two  of  them  were  with  him  yet, 
tending  his  fields.  But  one,  Eurynomous  by  name,  kept  com- 
pany with  the  wooers  of  Telemachus'  mother.  And  ^Egyptus 
had  had  another  son ;  he  had  gone  in  Odysseus'  ship  to  the  war 
of  Troy,  and  /Egyptus  knew  he  had  perished  on  his  way  back. 
He  constantly  mourned  for  this  son,  and  thinking  upon  him  as  he 
spoke,  iEgyptus  had  tears  in  his  eyes. 

'Never  since  Odysseus  summoned  us  together  before  he  took 


18  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

ship  for  the  war  of  Troy  have  we  met  in  council,'  said  he. 
'Why  have  we  been  brought  together  now?  Has  someone 
heard  tidings  of  the  return  of  Odysseus?  If  it  be  so,  may  the 
god  Zeus  give  luck  to  him  who  tells  us  of  such  good  fortune.' 

Telemachus  was  glad  because  of  the  kindly  speech  of  the  old 
man.  He  rose  up  to  speak  and  the  herald  put  a  staff  into  his 
hands  as  a  sign  that  he  was  to  be  listened  to  with  reverence. 
Telemachus  then  spoke,  addressing  the  old  lord  ^Egyptus. 

'I  will  tell  you  who  it  is,'  he  said,  'who  has  called  the  men  of 
Ithaka  together  in  council,  and  for  what  purpose.  Revered  lord 
iEgyptus,  I  have  called  you  together,  but  not  because  I  have  had 
tidings  of  the  return  of  my  father,  the  renowned  Odysseus,  nor 
because  I  would  speak  to  you  about  some  affair  of  our  country. 
No.  I  would  speak  to  you  all  because  I  suffer  and  because  I  am 
at  a  loss  — •  I,  whose  father  was  King  over  you,  praised  by  you 
all.  Odysseus  is  long  away  from  Ithaka,  and  I  deem  that  he  will 
never  return.  You  have  lost  your  King.  But  you  can  put 
another  King  to  rule  over  you.  I  have  lost  my  father,  and  I 
can  have  no  other  father  in  all  my  days.  And  that  is  not  all  my 
loss,  as  I  will  show  you  now,  men  of  Ithaka. 

'  For  three  years  now  my  mother  has  been  beset  by  men  who 
come  to  woo  her  to  be  wife  for  one  of  them.  Day  after  day 
they  come  to  our  house  and  kill  and  devour  our  beasts  and 
waste  the  wine  that  was  laid  up  against  my  father's  return. 
They  waste  our  goods  and  our  wealth.  If  I  were  nearer  man- 
hood I  would  defend  my  house  against  them.       But  as  yet  I 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  19 

am  not  able  to  do  it,  and  so  I  have  to  stand  by  and  see  our 
house  and  substance  being  destroyed.' 

So  Telemachus  spoke,  and  when  his  speech  was  ended  Antinous, 
who  was  one  of  the  wooers,  rose  up. 

'Telemachus,'  said  he,  'why  do  you  try  to  put  us  to  shame 
in  this  way  ?  I  tell  all  here  that  it  is  not  we  but  your  mother  who 
is  to  blame.  We,  knowing  her  husband  Odysseus  is  no  longer  in 
life,  have  asked  her  to  become  the  wife  of  one  of  us.  She  gives 
us  no  honest  answer.  Instead  she  has  given  her  mind  to  a 
device  to  keep  us  still  waiting. 

'I  will  tell  you  of  the  council  what  this  device  is.  The  lady 
Penelope  set  up  a  great  loom  in  her  house  and  began  to  weave 
a  wide  web  of  cloth.  To  each  of  us  she  sent  a  message  saying  that 
when  the  web  she  was  working  at  was  woven,  she  would  choose 
a  husband  from  amongst  us.  "Laertes,  the  father  of  Odysseus, 
is  alone  with  none  to  care  for  him  living  or  dead,"  said  she  to  us. 
"I  must  weave  a  shroud  for  him  against  the  time  which  cannot 
now  be  far  off  when  old  Laertes  dies.  Trouble  me  not  while  I  do 
this.  For  if  he  should  die  and  there  be  no  winding-sheet  to  wrap 
him  round  all  the  women  of  the  land  would  blame  me  greatly." 

'We  were  not  oppressive  and  we  left  the  lady  Penelope  to 
weave  the  web,  and  the  months  have  gone  by  and  still  the  web 
is  not  woven.  But  even  now  we  have  heard  from  one  of  her 
maids  how  Penelope  tries  to  finish  her  task.  What  she  weaves 
in  the  daytime  she  unravels  at  night.  Never,  then,  can  the  web 
be  finished  and  so  does  she  try  to  cheat  us. 


20  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

'She  has  gained  praise  from  the  people  for  doing  this.  "How 
wise  is  Penelope,"  they  say,  "with  her  devices."  Let  her  be 
satisfied  with  their  praise  then,  and  leave  us  alone.  We  too 
have  our  devices.  We  will  live  at  her  house  and  eat  and  drink 
there  and  give  orders  to  her  servants  and  we  shall  see  which  will 
satisfy  her  best  —  to  give  an  answer  or  to  let  the  wealth  of  her 
house  be  wasted. 

'  As  for  you,  Telemachus,  I  have  these  words  to  say  to  you. 
Lead  your  mother  from  your  father's  house  and  to  the  house  of 
her  father,  Icarius.  Tell  Icarius  to  give  her  in  marriage  to  the 
cne  she  chooses  from  amongst  us.  Do  this  and  no  more  goods 
will  be  wasted  in  the  house  that  will  be  yours.' 

Then  Telemachus  rose  and  said,  'Never  will  I  lead  my  mother 
cut  of  a  house  that  my  father  brought  her  into.  Quit  my  father's 
house,  or,  as  I  tell  you  now,  the  day  may  come  when  a  doom  will 
fall  upon  you  there  for  your  insolence  in  it.' 

And  even  as  Telemachus  spoke,  two  eagles  from  a  mountain 
crest  flew  over  the  place  where  the  council  was  being  held. 
They  wheeled  above  and  flapped  their  wings  and  looked  down 
upon  the  crowd  with  destruction  in  their  gaze.  They  tore  each 
other  with  their  talons,  and  then  flew  away  across  the  City. 

An  old  man  who  was  there,  Halitherses  by  name,  a  man  skilled 
in  the  signs  made  by  birds,  told  those  who  were  around  what  was 
foreshown  by  the  combat  of  the  eagles  in  the  air.  'Odysseus,' 
he  said,  'is  not  far  from  his  friends.  He  will  return,  and  his 
return  will  mean  affliction  for  those  who  insult  his  house.     Now 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  21 

let  them  make  an  end  of  their  mischief.'  But  the  wooers  only 
laughed  at  the  old  man,  telling  him  he  should  go  home  and 
prophesy  to  his  children. 

Then  arose  another  old  man  whose  name  was  Mentor,  and  he 
was  one  who  had  been  a  friend  and  companion  of  Odysseus. 
He  spoke  to  the  council  saying : 

'Never  again  need  a  King  be  gentle  in  his  heart.  For  kind 
and  gentle  to  you  all  was  your  King,  Odysseus.  And  now  his 
son  asks  you  for  help  and  you  do  not  hurry  to  give  it  him.  It 
is  not  so  much  an  affliction  to  me  that  these  wooers  waste  his 
goods  as  that  you  do  not  rise  up  to  forbid  it.  But  let  them  per- 
sist in  doing  it  on  the  hazard  of  their  own  heads.  For  a  doom 
will  come  on  them,  I  say.  And  I  say  again  to  you  of  the  council : 
you  are  many  and  the  wooers  are  few :  Why  then  do  you  not 
put  them  away  from  the  house  of  Odysseus  ?  ' 

But  no  one  in  the  council  took  the  side  of  Telemachus  and 
Halitherses  and  Mentor  —  so  powerful  were  the  wooers  and  so 
fearful  of  them  were  the  men  of  the  council.  The  wooers  looked 
at  Telemachus  and  his  friends  with  mockery.  Then  for  the  last 
time  Telemachus  rose  up  and  spoke  to  the  council. 

'I  have  spoken  in  the  council,  and  the  men  of  Ithaka  know, 
and  the  gods  know,  the  rights  and  wrongs  of  my  case.  All  I  ask 
of  you  now  is  that  you  give  me  a  swift  ship  with  twenty  youths 
to  be  my  crew  so  that  I  may  go  to  Pylos  and  to  Sparta  to  seek 
tidings  of  my  father.  If  I  find  he  is  alive  and  that  he  is  returning, 
then  I  can  endure  to  wait  another  year  in  the  house  and  submit 
to  what  you  do  there.' 


22 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


Even  at  this  speech  they  mocked.  Said  one  of  them,  Leocri- 
tus  by  name,  'Though  Odysseus  be  alive  and  should  one  day 
come  into  his  own  hall,  that  would  not  affright  us.  He  is  one, 
and  we  are  many,  and  if  he  should  strive  with  those  who  out- 
number him,  why  then,  let  his  doom  be  on  his  own  head.  And 
now,  men  of  the  council,  scatter  yourselves  and  go  each  to  his 
own  home,  and  let  Mentor  and  Halitherses  help  Telemachus  to 
get  a  ship  and  a  crew.' 

Leocritus  said  that  knowing  that  Mentor  and  Halitherses  were 
old  and  had  few  friends,  and  that  they  could  do  nothing  to  help 
Telemachus  to  get  a  ship.  The  council  broke  up  and  those  who 
were  in  it  scattered.  But  the  wooers  went  together  back  to  the 
house  of  Odysseus. 


ELEMACHUS  went  apart,  and,  going  by 
himself,  came  to  the  shore  of  the  sea.  He 
dipped  his  hands  into  the  sea-water  and 
prayed,  saying,  'O  Goddess  Athene,  you 
who  did  come  to  my  father's  hall  yester- 
day, I  have  tried  to  do  as  you  bade  me. 
But  still  the  wooers  of  my  mother  hinder 

me  from  taking  ship  to  seek  tidings  of  my  father.' 

He  spoke  in  prayer  and  then  he  saw  one  who  had  the  likeness 

of  the  old  man  Mentor  coming  towards  him.     But  by  the  grey, 

clear,  wonderfully-shining  eyes  he  knew  that  the  figure  was  none 

other  than  the  goddess  Athene. 


24  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

' Telemachus,'  said  she,  'if  you  have  indeed  one  drop  of  your 
father's  blood  in  you  or  one  portion  of  his  spirit,  if  you  are  as  he 
was  —  one  ready  to  fulfil  both  word  and  work,  your  voyage  shall 
not  be  in  vain.  If  you  are  different  from  what  he  was,  I  have  no 
hope  that  you  will  accomplish  your  desire.  But  I  have  seen  in 
you  something  of  the  wisdom  and  the  courage  of  Odysseus. 
Hear  my  counsel  then,  and  do  as  I  direct  you.  Go  back  to  your 
father's  house  and  be  with  the  wooers  for  a  time.  And  get 
together  corn  and  barley-flour  and  wine  in  jars.  And  while 
you  are  doing  all  this  I  will  gather  together  a  crew  for  your 
ship.  There  are  many  ships  in  sea-girt  Ithaka  and  I  shall  choose 
the  best  for  you  and  we  will  rig  her  quickly  and  launch  her  on 
the  wide  deep.' 

When  Telemachus  heard  her  counsel  he  tarried  no  more  but 
went  back  to  the  house  and  stood  amongst  the  wooers,  and 
when  he  had  spoken  with  them  he  went  down  into  the  treasure- 
vault.  It  was  a  spacious  room  filled  with  gold  and  bronze  and 
chests  of  raiment  and  casks  of  wine.  The  doors  of  that  vault 
were  closed  night  and  day  and  Eurycleia,  the  dame  who  had 
been  the  nurse  of  Telemachus  when  he  was  little,  guarded  the 
place.     She  came  to  him,  and  he  spoke  to  her  : 

'My  nurse,'  said  he,  'none  but  yourself  must  know  what 
I  would  do  now,  and  you  must  swear  not  to  speak  of  it  to  my 
lady-mother  until  twelve  days  from  this.  Fill  twelve  jars  with 
wine  for  me  now,  and  pour  twelve  measures  of  barley-meal  into 
well-sewn  skins.     Leave  them  all  together  for  me,  and  when  my 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  25 

mother  goes  into  the  upper  chamber,  I  shall  have  them  carried 
away.  Lo,  nurse,  I  go  to  Pylos  and  to  Sparta  to  seek  tidings 
from  Nestor  and  Menelaus  of  Odysseus,  my  father.' 

When  she  heard  him  say  this,  the  nurse  Eurycleia  lamented. 
'Ah,  wherefore,  dear  child,'  she  cried,  'has  such  a  thought 
risen  in  your  mind?  How  could  you  fare  over  wide  seas  and 
through  strange  lands,  you  who  were  never  from  your  home? 
Stay  here  where  you  are  well  beloved.  As  for  your  father,  he 
has  long  since  perished  amongst  strangers  —  why  should  you 
put  yourself  in  danger  to  find  out  that  he  is  no  more  ?  Nay, 
do  not  go,  Telemachus,  my  fosterling,  but  stay  in  your  own 
house  and  in  your  own  well-beloved  country.' 

Telemachus  said  :  '  Dear  nurse,  it  has  been  shown  to  me  that 
I  should  go  by  a  goddess.  Is  not  that  enough  for  you  and  for 
me  ?  Now  make  all  ready  for  me  as  I  have  asked  you,  and  swear 
to  me  that  you  will  say  nothing  of  it  to  my  mother  until  twelve 
days  from  this,  or  until  she  shall  miss  me  herself.' 

Having  sworn  as  he  asked  her,  the  nurse  Eurycleia  drew  the 
wine  into  jars  and  put  the  barley-meal  into  the  well-sewn  skins. 
Telemachus  left  the  vault  and  went  back  again  into  the  hall. 
He  sat  with  the  wooers  and  listened  to  the  minstrel  Phemius 
sing  about  the  going  forth  of  Odysseus  to  the  wars  of  Troy. 

And  while  these  things  were  happening  the  goddess  Athene 
went  through  the  town  in  the  likeness  of  Telemachus.  She 
went  to  this  youth  and  that  youth  and  told  them  of  the  voyage 
and  asked  them  to  make  ready  and  go  down  to  the  beach  where 


26  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

the  boat  would  be.  And  then  she  went  to  a  man  called  Noemon, 
and  begged  him  for  a  swift  ship,  and  Noemon  gave  it  her. 

When  the  sun  sank  and  when  the  ways  were  darkened  Athene 
dragged  the  ship  to  where  it  should  be  launched  and  brought 
the  tackling  to  it.  The  youths  whom  Athene  had  summoned  — 
they  were  all  of  the  age  of  Telemachus  — ■  came,  and  Athene 
aroused  them  with  talk  of  the  voyage.  And  when  the  ship  was 
ready  she  went  to  the  house  of  Odysseus.  Upon  the  wooers 
who  were  still  in  the  hall  she  caused  sleep  to  fall.  They  laid 
their  heads  upon  the  tables  and  slumbered  beside  the  wine  cups. 
But  Athene  sent  a  whisper  through  the  hall  and  Telemachus 
heard  and  he  rose  up  and  came  to  where  she  stood.  Now  she 
had  on  the  likeness  of  old  Mentor,  the  friend  of  his  father  Odys- 
seus. 

'Come,'  said  she,  'your  friends  are  already  at  the  oars.  We 
must  not  delay  them.' 

But  some  of  the  youths  had  come  with  the  one  whom  they 
thought  was  old  Mentor.  They  carried  with  Telemachus  the 
skins  of  corn  and  the  casks  of  wine.  They  came  to  the  ship,  and 
Telemachus  with  a  cheer  climbed  into  it.  Then  the  youths 
loosed  the  ropes  and  sat  down  at  the  benches  to  pull  the  oars. 
And  Athene,  in  the  likeness  of  old  Mentor,  sat  at  the  helm. 

And  now  they  set  up  the  mast  of  pine  and  they  made  it  fast 
with  forestays,  and  they  hauled  up  the  sails  with  ropes  of  twisted 
oxhide.  And  a  wind  came  and  filled  out  the  sails,  and  the 
youths  pulled  at  the  oars,  and  the  ship  dashed  away.     All  night 


28 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


long  Telemachus  and  his  friends  sat  at  the  oars  and  under  the 
sails,  and  felt  the  ship  bearing  them  swiftly  onward  through  the 
dark  water.  Phemius,  the  minstrel,  was  with  them,  and,  as 
the  night  went  by,  he  sang  to  them  of  Troy  and  of  the  heroes 
who  had  waged  war  against  it. 


VI 

ROY,  the  minstrel  sang,  was  the  greatest  of 
the  Cities  of  men ;  it  had  been  built  when 
the  demi-gods  walked  the  earth ;  its  walls 
were  so  strong  and  so  high  that  enemies 
could  not  break  nor  scale  them;  Troy 
had  high  towers  and  great  gates;  in  its 
citadels  there  were  strong  men  well  armed, 
and  in  its  treasuries  there  were  stores  of  gold  and  silver.  And 
the  King  of  Troy  was  Priam.  •  He  was  old  now,  but  he  had 
sons  that  were  good  Captains.  The  chief  of  them  all  was 
Hector. 

Hector,  the  minstrel  sang,  was  a  match  for  any  warrior  the 
nations  could  send  against  Troy.  Because  he  was  noble  and 
generous  as  well  as  brave,  the  people  were  devoted  to  him.  And 
Hector,  Priam's  son,  was  commander  in  the  City. 

But  Priam  had  another  son  who  was  not  counted  amongst  the 
Captains.  Paris  was  his  name.  Now  when  Paris  was  in  his 
infancy,  a  soothsayer  told  King  Priam  that  he  would  bring  trouble 
upon  Troy.     Then  King  Priam  had  the  child  sent  away  from  the 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  29 

City.     Paris  was  reared  amongst  country  people,  and  when  he 
was  a  youth  he  herded  sheep. 

Then  the  minstrel  sang  of  Peleus,  the  King  of  Phthia,  and  of 
his  marriage  to  the  river  nymph,  Thetis.  All  the  gods  and  god- 
desses came  to  their  wedding  feast.  Only  one  of  the  immortals 
was  not  invited  —  Eris,  who  is  Discord.  She  came,  however. 
At  the  games  that  followed  the  wedding  feast  she  threw  a  golden 
apple  amongst  the  guests,  and  on  the  apple  was  written  "For 
the  fairest." 

Each  of  the  three  goddesses  who  was  there  wished  to  be  known 
as  the  fairest  and  each  claimed  the  golden  apple  —  Aphrodite 
who  inspired  love ;  Athene  who  gave  wisdom ;  and  Hera  who 
was  the  wife  of  Zeus,  the  greatest  of  the  gods.  But  no  one  at 
the  wedding  would  judge  between  the  goddesses  and  say  which 
was  the  fairest.  And  then  the  shepherd  Paris  came  by,  and  him 
the  guests  asked  to  give  judgment. 

Said  Hera  to  Paris,  'Award  the  apple  to  me  and  I  will  give  you 
a  great  kingship.'  Said  Athene,  'Award  the  golden  apple  to  me 
and  I  will  make  you  the  wisest  of  men.'  And  Aphrodite  came 
to  him  and  whispered,  'Paris,  dear  Paris,  let  me  be  called  the 
fairest  and  I  will  make  you  beautiful,  and  the  fairest  woman  in 
the  world  will  be  your  wife.'  Paris  looked  on  Aphrodite  and  in 
his  eyes  she  was  the  fairest.  To  her  he  gave  the  golden  apple 
and  ever  afterwards  she  was  his  friend.  But  Hera  and  Athene 
departed  from  the  company  in  wrath. 


3o  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

The  minstrel  sang  how  Paris  went  back  to  his  father's  City  and 
was  made  a  prince  of  Troy.  Through  the  favor  of  Aphrodite  he 
was  the  most  beautiful  of  youths.  Then  Paris  went  out  of  the 
City  again.  Sent  by  his  father  he  went  to  Tyre.  And  coming 
back  to  Troy  from  Tyre  he  went  through  Greece. 

Now  the  fairest  woman  in  the  world  was  in  Greece;  she  was 
Helen,  and  she  was  married  to  King  Menelaus.  Paris  saw  her 
and  loved  her  for  her  beauty.  And  Aphrodite  inspired  Helen 
to  fall  in  love  with  Paris.  He  stole  her  from  the  house  of  Mene- 
laus and  brought  her  into  Troy. 

King  Menelaus  sent  to  Troy  and  demanded  that  his  wife  be 
given  back  to  him.  But  the  people  of  Troy,  thinking  no  King 
in  the  world  could  shake  them,  and  wanting  to  boast  that  the 
fairest  woman  in  the  world  was  in  their  city,  were  not  willing 
that  Menelaus  be  given  back  his  wife.  Priam  and  his  son, 
Hector,  knew  that  a  wrong  had  been  done,  and  knew  that  Helen 
and  all  that  she  had  brought  with  her  should  be  given  back. 
But  in  the  council  there  were  vain  men  who  went  against  the 
word  of  Priam  and  Hector,  declaring  that  for  no  little  King  of 
Greece  would  they  give  up  Helen,  the  fairest  woman  in  all  the 
world. 

Then  the  minstrel  sang  of  Agamemnon.  He  was  King  of 
rich  Mycenae,  and  his  name  was  so  high  and  his  deeds  were  so 
renowned  that  all  the  Kings  of  Greece  looked  to  him.  Now 
Agamemnon,  seeing  Menelaus,  his  brother,  flouted  by  the  Trojans, 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  31 

vowed  to  injure  Troy.  And  he  spoke  to  the  Kings  and  Princes 
of  Greece,  saying  that  if  they  all  united  their  strength  they 
would  be  able  to  take  the  great  city  of  Troy  and  avenge 
the  slight  put  upon  Menelaus  and  win  great  glory  and  riches 
for  themselves. 

And  when  they  had  come  together  and  had  taken  note  of  their 
strength,  the  Kings  and  Princes  of  Greece  thought  well  of  the 
word  of  Agamemnon  and  were  eager  to  make  war  upon  Troy. 
They  bound  themselves  by  a  vow  to  take  the  City.  Then 
Agamemnon  sent  messages  to  the  heroes  whose  lands  were  far 
away,  to  Odysseus,  and  to  Achilles,  who  was  the  son  of  Peleus 
and  Thetis,  bidding  them  also  enter  the  war, 

In  two  years  the  ships  of  all  the  Kings  and  Princes  were 
gathered  into  Aulis  and  the  Greeks,  with  their  leaders,  Aga- 
memnon, Aias,  Diomedes,  Nestor,  Idomeneus,  Achilles  and 
Odysseus,  sailed  for  the  coast  of  Troy.  One  hero  after  another 
subdued  the  cities  and  nations  that  were  the  allies  of  the  Tro- 
jans, but  Troy  they  did  not  take.  And  the  minstrel  sang  to 
Telemachus  and  his  fellow-voyagers  how  year  after  year  went 
by,  and  how  the  host  of  Greeks  still  remained  between  their  ships 
and  the  walls  of  the  City,  and  how  in  the  ninth  year  there  came 
a  plague  that  smote  with  death  more  men  than  the  Trojans  killed. 

So  the  ship  went  on  through  the  dark  water,  very  swiftly, 
with  the  goddess  Athene,  in  the  likeness  of  old  Mentor,  guiding 
it,  and  with  the  youths  listening  to  the  song  that  Phemius  the 
minstrel  sang. 


r- 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


VII 


HE  sun  rose  and  Telemachus  and  his 
fellow-voyagers  drew  near  to  the  shore  of 
Pylos  and  to  the  steep  citadel  built  by 
Neleus,  the  father  of  Nestor,  the  famous 
King.  They  saw  on  the  shore  men  in 
companies  making  sacrifice  to  Poseidon, 
the  dark-haired  god  of  the  sea.  There 
were  nine  companies  there  and  each  company  had  nine  black 
oxen  for  the  sacrifice,  and  the  number  of  men  in  each  com- 
pany was  five  hundred.  They  slew  the  oxen  and  they  laid 
parts  to  burn  on  the  altars  of  the  god,  and  the  men  sat  down 
to  feast. 

The  voyagers  brought  their  ship  to  the  shore  and  Telemachus 
sprang  from  it.  But  before  him  went  the  goddess,  grey-eyed 
Athene,  in  the  likeness  of  the  old  man,  Mentor.  And  the  goddess 
told  Telemachus  that  Nestor,  the  King  whom  he  had  come  to 
seek,  was  on  the  shore.  She  bade  him  now  go  forward  with  a 
good  heart  and  ask  Nestor  for  tidings  of  his  father,  Odysseus. 

But  Telemachus  said  to  her,  'Mentor,  how  can  I  bring  myself 
to  speak  to  one  who  is  so  reverenced  ?  How  should  I  greet  him  ? 
And  how  can  I,  a  young  man,  question  such  a  one  as  Nestor, 
the  old  King?' 

The  goddess,  grey-eyed  Athene,  encouraged  him;  the  right 
words,  she  said,  would  come.     So  Telemachus  went  forward  with 


34  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

his  divine  companion.  Nestor  was  seated  on  the  shore  with 
his  sons  around  him.  And  when  they  saw  the  two  strangers 
approach,  the  sons  of  Nestor  rose  up  to  greet  them.  One, 
Peisistratus,  took  the  hand  of  Telemachus  and  the  hand  of  the 
goddess  and  led  them  both  to  where  Nestor  was. 

A  golden  cup  was  put  into  the  hand  of  each  and  wine  was 
poured  into  the  cups,  and  Nestor's  son,  Peisistratus,  asked  Tele- 
machus and  the  goddess  to  pray  that  the  sacrifice  they  were 
making  to  Poseidon,  the  god  of  the  sea,  would  bring  good  to  them 
and  to  their  people.  Then  the  goddess  Athene  in  the  likeness 
of  old  Mentor  held  the  cup  in  her  hand  and  prayed  : 

'  Hear  me,  Poseidon,  shaker  of  the  earth :  First  to  Nestor 
and  his  sons  grant  renown.  Then  grant  to  the  people  of  Pylos 
recompense  for  the  sacrifice  of  oxen  they  have  made.  Grant, 
too,  that  Telemachus  and  I  may  return  safely  when  what  we 
have  come  in  our  swift  ship  to  seek  has  been  won.' 

Telemachus  prayed  in  the  words  of  the  goddess  and  then  the 
sons  of  Nestor  made  them  both  sit  on  the  fleeces  that  were  spread 
on  the  shore.  And  dishes  of  meat  were  brought  to  them  and 
cups  of  wine,  and  when  they  had  eaten  and  drunk,  the  old  King, 
Nestor,  spoke  to  them. 

'Until  they  have  partaken  of  food  and  drink,  it  is  not  cour- 
teous,' he  said,  'to  ask  of  strangers  who  they  are  and  whither 
they  go.  But  now,  my  guests,  I  will  ask  of  you  what  your  land 
is,  and  what  your  quest,  and  what  names  you  bear.' 

Then  Telemachus  said :     '  Nestor,  renowned  King,  glory  of 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  35 

the  Greeks,  we  have  come  out  of  Ithaka  and  we  seek  tidings  of 
my  father,  of  Odysseus,  who,  long  ago,  fought  by  your  side  in  the 
war  of  Troy.  With  you,  men  say,  he  sacked  the  great  City  of 
the  Trojans.  But  no  further  story  about  him  has  been  told. 
And  I  have  come  to  your  knees,  O  King,  to  beg  you  to  give  me 
tidings  of  him  —  whether  he  died  and  you  saw  his  death,  or 
whether  you  heard  of  his  death  from  another.  And  if  you 
should  answer  me,  speak  not,  I  pray  you,  in  pity  for  me,  but  tell 
me  all  you  know  or  have  heard.  Ah,  if  ever  my  father  helped 
you  in  the  land  of  the  Trojans,  by  the  memory  of  what  help  he 
gave,  I  pray  you  speak  in  truth  to  me,  his  son.' 

Then  said  Nestor,  the  old  King,  'Verily,  my  son,  you  bring 
sorrow  to  my  mind.  Ah,  where  are  they  who  were  with  me  in 
our  war  against  the  mighty  City  of  Troy  ?  Where  is  Aias  and 
Achilles  and  Patroklos  and  my  own  dear  son,  Antilochos,  who 
was  so  noble  and  so  strong?  And  where  is  Agamemnon  now? 
He  returned  to  his  own  land,  to  be  killed  in  his  own  hall  by  a 
most  treacherous  foeman.  And  now  you  ask  me  of  Odysseus, 
the  man  who  was  dearer  to  me  than  any  of  the  others  — •  Odysseus, 
who  was  always  of  the  one  mind  with  me !  Never  did  we  two 
speak  diversely  in  the  assembly  nor  in  the  council. 

'  You  say  to  me  that  you  are  the  son  of  Odysseus  !  Surely  you 
are.  Amazement  comes  over  me  as  I  look  on  you  and  listen  to 
you,  for  you  look  as  he  looked  and  you  speak  as  he  spoke.  But 
I  would  have  you  speak  further  to  me  and  tell  me  of  your  home- 
land and  of  how  things  fare  in  Ithaka.' 


3^ 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


^|HEN  he  told  the  old  King  of  the  evil  deeds 
worked  by  the  wooers  of  his  mother,  and 
when  he  had  told  of  them  Telemachus 
cried  out,  'Oh,  that  the  gods  would  give 
me  such  strength  that  I  might  take 
vengeance  on  them  for  their  many  trans- 
gressions.' 

Then  said  old  Nestor,  'Who  knows  but  Odysseus  will  win 
home  and  requite  the  violence  of  these  suitors  and  the  insults 
they  have  offered  to  your  house.  The  goddess  Athene  might 
bring  this  to  pass.  Well  was  she  inclined  to  your  father,  and 
never  did  the  gods  show  such  favour  to  a  mortal  as  the  grey-eyed 
goddess  showed  to  Odysseus,  your  father.' 

But  Telemachus  answered,  'In  no  wise  can  your  word  be 
accomplished,  King.' 

Then  Athene,  in  the  likeness  of  old  Mentor,  spoke  to  him  and 
said,  'What  word  has  crossed  your  lips,  Telemachus?  If  it 
should  please  them,  any  one  of  the  gods  could  bring  a  man  home 
from  afar.  Only  this  the  gods  may  not  do  —  avert  death  from 
a  man  who  has  been  doomed  to  it.' 

Telemachus  answered  her  and  said,  'Mentor,  no  longer  let 
us  talk  of  these  things.  Nestor,  the  renowned  King,  has  been 
very  gracious  to  me,  but  he  has  nothing  to  tell  me  of  my  father. 
I  deem  now  that  Odysseus  will  never  return.' 

'Go  to  Menelaus,'  said  Nestor.  'Go  to  Menelaus  in  Sparta. 
Lately  he  has  come  from  a  far  and  a  strange  country  and  it  may 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  37 

be  that  he  has  heard  of  Odysseus  in  his  wanderings.  You  can 
go  to  Sparta  in  your  ship.  But  if  you  have  a  mind  to  fare  by 
land  then  will  I  give  you  a  chariot  and  horses,  and  my  son  will  go 
with  you  to  be  a  guide  for  you  into  Sparta.' 

Then  Telemachus,  with  Athene,  the  grey-eyed  goddess  in  the 
likeness  of  old  Mentor,  would  have  gone  back  to  their  ship,  but 
Nestor  the  King  said,  'Zeus  forbid  that  you  two  should  go 
back  to  the  ship  to  take  your  rest  while  there  is  guest- 
room in  my  hall.  Come  with  me  to  a  place  where  you  can  lie 
softly.  Never  shall  it  be  said  that  a  son  of  Odysseus,  my  dear 
friend,  lay  on  the  hard  deck  of  a  ship  while  I  am  alive  and 
while  children  of  mine  are  left  in  my  hall.    Come  with  me  now.' 

Then  the  goddess  Athene  in  the  likeness  of  old  Mentor  said, 
'You  have  spoken  as  becomes  you,  renowned  King.  Telem- 
achus should  harken  to  your  word  and  go  with  you.  But  it 
is  meet  that  the  young  men  who  came  for  the  love  of  him  should 
have  an  elder  with  them  on  the  ship  to-night.  I  shall  abide 
with  them.' 

So  speaking,  the  goddess,  grey-eyed  Athene,  in  the  likeness  of 
old  Mentor  went  from  the  shore,  and  Telemachus  went  with 
Nestor  and  his  sons  to  the  high  citadel  of  Neleus.  And  there  he 
was  given  a  bath,  and  the  maiden  Polycaste,  the  youngest  daugh- 
ter of  King  Nestor,  attended  him.  She  gave  him  new  raiment 
to  wear,  a  goodly  mantle  and  doublet.  He  slept  in  a  room  with 
Peisistratus,  the  youngest  of  Nestor's  sons. 

In  the  morning  they  feasted  and  did  sacrifice,  and  when  he  had 


3§ 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


given  judgments  to  the  people,  the  old  King  Nestor  spoke  to  his 
sons,  — 

'Lo,  now,  my  sons.  Yoke  for  Telemachus  the  horses  to  the 
chariot  that  he  may  go  on  his  way  to  Sparta.' 

The  sons  of  Nestor  gave  heed  and  they  yoked  the  swift  horses 
to  the  chariot  and  the  housedame  came  from  the  hall  and  placed 
within  the  chariot  wine  and  dainties.  Telemachus  went  into 
the  chariot  and  Peisistratus  sat  before  him.  Then  Peisistratus 
touched  the  horses  with  the  whip  and  they  sprang  forward,  and 
the  chariot  went  swiftly  over  the  plain.  Soon  they  left  behind 
them  the  steep  citadel  of  Neleus  and  the  land  of  Pylos.  And  when 
the  sun  sank  and  the  ways  were  darkened,  they  came  to  Pherae 
and  to  the  house  of  Diodes  and  there  they  rested  for  the  night. 

In  the  morning  as  soon  as  the  sun  rose  they  yoked  the  horses 
and  they  mounted  the  chariot,  and  for  another  day  they  journeyed 
across  the  plain.  They  had  gone  far  and  the  ways  were  again 
darkened  around  them. 


VIII 


HEY  came  to  Sparta,  to  a  country  lying 
low  amongst  the  hills,  and  they  stayed 
the  chariot  outside  the  gate  of  the  King's 
dwelling.  Now  upon  that  day  Menelaus 
was  sending  his  daughter  into  Phthia, 
with  horses  and  chariots,  as  a  bride  for 
Achilles'  son.     And  for  Megapenthes,  his 


4o  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

own  son,  a  bride  was  being  brought  into  the  house.  Because 
of  these  two  marriages  there  was  feasting  in  the  palace  and 
kinsmen  and  neighbours  were  gathered  there.  A  minstrel  was 
singing  to  the  guests  and  two  tumblers  were  whirling  round  the 
high  hall  to  divert  them. 

To  the  King  in  his  high  hall  came  Eteoneus,  the  steward. 
'Renowned  Menelaus,'  said  Eteoneus,  'there  are  two  strangers 
outside,  men  with  the  looks  of  heroes.  What  would  you  have  me 
do  with  them  ?  Shall  I  have  their  horses  unyoked,  bidding  them 
enter  the  Palace,  or  shall  I  let  them  fare  on  to  another  dwelling?' 

'Why  do  you  ask  such  a  question,  Eteoneus?'  said  Menelaus 
in  anger.  'Have  we  not  eaten  the  bread  of  other  men  on  our 
wanderings,  and  have  we  not  rested  ourselves  in  other  men's 
houses?  Knowing  this  you  have  no  right  to  ask  whether  you 
should  bid  strangers  enter  or  let  them  go  past  the  gate  of  my 
dwelling.     Go  now  and  bid  them  enter  and  feast  with  us.' 

Then  Eteoneus  went  from  the  hall,  and  while  he  had  servants 
unyoke  the  horses  from  their  chariot  he  led  Telemachus  and 
Peisistratus  into  the  palace.  First  they  were  brought  to  the 
bath,  and  when  they  had  come  from  the  bath  refreshed,  they  were 
given  new  cloaks  and  mantles.  When  they  had  dressed  them- 
selves they  were  led  into  the  King's  high  hall.  They  seated 
themselves  there,  and  a  maid  brought  water  in  a  golden  ewer 
and  poured  it  over  their  hands  into  a  silver  basin.  Then  a 
polished  table  was  put  beside  them,  and  the  housedame  placed 
bread  and  meat  and  wine  upon  it  so  that  they  might  eat. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


4i 


Menelaus  came  to  where  they  sat  and  said  to  Telemachus 
and  Peisistratus,  'By  your  looks  I  know  you  to  be  of  the  line 
of  Kings.  Eat  now,  and  when  you  have  refreshed  yourselves  I 
will  ask  who  you  are  and  from  what  place  you  come.' 

But  before  they  had  finished  their  meal,  and  while  yet  Mene- 
laus the  king  was  showing  them  the  treasures  that  were  near,  the 
lady  Helen  came  into  the  high  hall  —  Helen  for  whom  the  Kings 
and  Princes  of  Greece  had  gone  to  war.  Her  maids  were  with 
her,  and  they  set  a  chair  for  her  near  where  Menelaus  was  and 
they  put  a  rug  of  soft  wool  under  her  feet.  Then  one  brought 
to  her  a  silver  basket  filled  with  colored  yarn.  And  Helen  sat 
in  her  high  chair  and  took  the  distaff  in  her  hands  and  worked 
the  yarn.  She  questioned  Menelaus  about  the  things  that 
had  happened  during  the  day,  and  as  she  did  she  watched 
Telemachus. 

Then  the  lady  Helen  left  the  distaff  down  and  said,  'Menelaus, 
I  am  minded  to  tell  you  who  one  of  these  strangers  is.  No  one 
was  ever  more  like  another  than  this  youth  is  like  great-hearted 
Odysseus.  I  know  that  he  is  no  other  than  Telemachus,  whom 
Odysseus  left  as  a  child,  when,  for  my  sake,  the  Greeks  began 
their  war  against  Troy.' 

Then  said  Menelaus,  'I  too  mark  his  likeness  to  Odysseus. 
The  shape  of  his  head,  the  glance  of  his  eye,  remind  me  of  Odys- 
seus. But  can  it  indeed  be  that  Telemachus  has  come  into  my 
house?' 

'Renowned  Menelaus,'  said  Peisistratus,  'this  is  indeed  the 


42 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 


son  of  Odysseus.  And  I  avow  myself  to  be  the  son  of  another 
comrade  of  yours,  of  Nestor,  who  was  with  you  at  the  war  of 
Troy.  I  have  been  sent  with  Telemachus  to  be  his  guide  to 
your  house.' 

Menelaus  rose  up  and  clasped  the  hand  of  Telemachus. 
'Never  did  there  come  to  my  house,'  said  he,  'a  youth  more 
welcome.  For  my  sake  did  Odysseus  endure  much  toil  and  many 
adventures.  Had  he  come  to  my  country  I  would  have  given 
him  a  city  to  rule  over,  and  I  think  that  nothing  would  have 
parted  us,  one  from  the  other.  But  Odysseus,  I  know,  has  not 
returned  to  his  own  land  of  Ithaka.' 

Then  Telemachus,  thinking  upon  his  father,  dead,  or  wander- 
ing through  the  world,  wept.  Helen,  too,  shed  tears,  remember- 
ing things  that  had  happened.  And  Menelaus,  thinking  upon 
Odysseus  and  on  all  his  toils,  was  silent  and  sad ;  and  sad  and 
silent  too  was  Peisistratus,  thinking  upon  Antilochos,  his  brother, 
who  had  perished  in  the  war  of  Troy. 

But  Helen,  wishing  to  turn  their  minds  to  other  thoughts, 
cast  into  the  wine  a  drug  that  lulled  pain  and  brought  forget- 
fulness  —  a  drug  which  had  been  given  to  her  in  Egypt  by  Poly- 
damna,  the  wife  of  King  Theon.  And  when  they  had  drunk  the 
wine  their  sorrowful  memories  went  from  them,  and  they  spoke 
to  each  other  without  regretfulness.  Thereafter  King  Mene- 
laus told  of  his  adventure  with  the  Ancient  One  of  the  Sea 
—  the  adventure  that  had  brought  to  him  the  last  tidings  of 
Odysseus. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


43 


IX 


AID  Menelaus,  'Over  against  the  river 
that  flows  out  of  Egypt  there  is  an  Island 
that  men  call  Pharos,  and  to  that  island 
I  came  with  my  ships  when  we,  the  heroes 
who  had  fought  at  Troy,  were  separated 
one  from  the  other.  There  I  was  held, 
day  after  day,  by  the  will  of  the  gods. 
Our  provision  of  corn  was  spent  and  my  men  were  in  danger 
of  perishing  of  hunger.  Then  one  day  while  my  companions 
were  striving  desperately  to  get  fish  out  of  the  sea,  I  met  on  the 
shore  one  who  had  pity  for  our  plight. 

'She  was  an  immortal,  Eidothee,  a  daughter  of  the  Ancient 
One  of  the  Sea.  I  craved  of  her  to  tell  me  how  we  might  get 
away  from  that  place,  and  she  counselled  me  to  take  by  an 
ambush  her  father,  the  Ancient  One  of  the  Sea,  who  is  also  called 
Proteus.  "You  can  make  him  tell  you,"  said  she,  " for  he  knows 
all  things,  what  you  must  do  to  get  away  from  this  island  of 
Pharos.  Moreover,  he  can  declare  to  you  what  happened  to 
the  heroes  you  have  been  separated  from,  and  what  has  taken 
place  in  your  own  hall." 

"Then  said  I  to  that  kind  nymph  Eidothee,  "Show  me  how 
I  may  take  by  an  ambush  your  immortal  father,  the  Ancient 
One  of  the  Sea.'" 

'Said  Eidothee,  "My  father,  Proteus,  comes  out  of  the  sea 


44  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

when  the  sun  is  highest  in  the  heavens.  Then  would  he  lie  down 
to  sleep  in  the  caves  that  are  along  the  shore.  But  before  he 
goes  to  sleep  he  counts,  as  a  shepherd  counts  his  flock,  the  seals 
that  come  up  out  of  the  ocean  and  lie  round  where  he  lies.  If 
there  be  one  too  many,  or  one  less  than  there  should  be,  he  will 
not  go  to  sleep  in  the  cave.  But  I  will  show  you  how  you  and 
certain  of  your  companions  may  be  near  without  the  Ancient 
One  of  the  Sea  being  aware  of  your  presence.  Take  three  of 
your  men  — ■  the  three  you  trust  above  all  the  others  —  and 
as  soon  as  it  is  dawn  to-morrow  meet  me  by  the  edge  of 
the  sea.'" 

'So  saying  the  nymph  Eidothee  plunged  into  the  sea  and  I 
went  from  that  place  anxious,  but  with  hope  in  my  heart. 

'Now  as  soon  as  the  dawn  had  come  I  walked  by  the  sea- 
shore and  with  me  came  the  three  that  I  trusted  above  all  my 
companions.  The  daughter  of  the  Ancient  One  of  the  Sea, 
Eidothee,  came  to  us.  In  her  arms  she  had  the  skins  of  seals 
newly-slain,  one  for  each  of  us.  And  at  the  cave  where  the 
seals  lay  she  scooped  holes  in  the  sand  and  bade  us  He  there, 
covering  ourselves  with  the  skins.  Then  she  spoke  to  me  and 
said : 

"'When  my  father,  the  Ancient  One  of  the  Sea,  comes  here  to 
sleep,  lay  hands  upon  him  and  hold  him  with  all  the  strength  you 
have.  He  will  change  himself  into  many  shapes,  but  do  not  you 
let  go  your  hold  upon  him.  When  he  changes  back  into  the 
shape  he  had  at  first  you  may  let  go  your  holds.     Question  him 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  45 

then  as  to  how  you  may  leave  this  place,  or  question  him  as  to 
any  other  matter  that  may  be  on  your  mind,  and  he  will  answer 
you,  speaking  the  truth." ' 

'We  lay  down  in  the  holes  she  had  scooped  in  the  sand  and 
she  covered  each  of  us  with  one  of  the  skins  she  had  brought. 
Then  the  seals  came  out  of  the  sea  and  lay  all  around  us.  The 
smell  that  came  from  those  beasts  of  the  sea  afflicted  us,  and  it 
was  then  that  our  adventure  became  terrible.  We  could  not 
have  endured  it  if  Eidothee  had  not  helped  us  in  this  also.  She 
took  ambrosia  and  set  it  beneath  each  man's  nostril,  so  that  what 
came  to  us  was  not  the  smell  of  the  sea-beasts  but  a  divine  savour. 
Then  the  nymph  went  back  to  the  sea. 

'We  lay  there  with  steadfast  hearts  amongst  the  herd  of  seals 
until  the  sua  was  at  its  highest  in  the  heavens.  The  Ancient 
One  of  the  Sea  came  out  of  the  ocean  depths.  He  went  amongst 
the  seals  and  counted  them,  and  us  four  men  he  reckoned  amongst 
his  herd.  Then  in  great  contentment  he  laid  himself  down  to 
sleep. 

'We  rushed  upon  him  with  a  cry  and  laid  hold  on  him  with  all 
the  strength  of  our  hands.  But  we  had  no  sooner  grasped  him 
than  his  shape  changed.  He  became  a  lion  and  faced  us.  Yet 
we  did  not  let  go  of  our  grasp.  He  became  a  serpent,  yet  we 
still  held  him.  He  became  a  leopard  and  then  a  mighty  boar; 
he  became  a  stream  of  water  and  then  a  flowering  tree.  Yet 
still  we  held  to  him  with  all  our  might  and  our  hearts  were 
not  daunted   by  the    shapes  he  changed    to  before  our  eyes. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  47 

Then,  seeing  that  he  could  not  make  us  loose  our  hold,  the 
Ancient  One  of  the  Sea,  who  was  called  Proteus,  ceased  in  his 
changes  and  became  as  we  had  seen  him  first. 

'''Son  of  Atreus,"  said  he,  speaking  to  me,  "who  was  it 
showed  you  how  to  lay  this  ambush  for  me?"  ' 

'  "It  is  for  you  who  know  all  things,"  said  I,  "to make  answer 
to  us.  Tell  me  now  why  it  is  that  I  am  held  on  this  island? 
Which  of  the  gods  holds  me  here  and  for  what  reason?"  ' 

'Then  the  Ancient  One  of  the  Sea  answered  me,  speaking 
truth,  "Zeus,  the  greatest  of  all  the  gods  holds  you  here.  You 
neglected  to  make  sacrifice  to  the  gods  and  for  that  reason  you 
are  held  on  this  island." 

'  "Then,"  said  I,  "what  must  I  do  to  win  back  the  favor  of 
the  gods?'" 

'He  told  me,  speaking  truth,  "Before  setting  sail  for  your 
own  land,"  he  said,  "you  must  return  to  the  river  ^Egyptus  that 
flows  out  of  Africa,  and  offer  sacrifice  there  to  the  gods." ' 

'  When  he  said  this  my  spirit  was  broken  with  grief.  A  long 
and  a  grievous  way  would  I  have  to  sail  to  make  that  sacrifice, 
turning  back  from  my  own  land.  Yet  the  will  of  the  gods  would 
have  to  be  done.  Again  I  was  moved  to  question  the  Ancient 
One  of  the  Sea,  and  to  ask  him  for  tidings  of  the  men  who  were 
my  companions  in  the  wars  of  Troy. 

'Ah,  son  of  Odysseus,  more  broken  than  ever  was  my  spirit 
with  grief  when  he  told  me  of  their  fates.  Then  I  heard  how 
my  brother,  great  Agamemnon,  reached  his  own  land  and  was 


48  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

glad  in  his  heart.  But  his  wife  had  hatred  for  him,  and  in  his 
own  hall  she  and  ^Egisthus  had  him  slain.  I  sat  and  wept  on 
the  sands,  but  still  I  questioned  the  Ancient  One  of  the  Sea.  And 
he  told  me  of  strong  Aias  and  how  he  was  killed  by  the  falling 
rock  after  he  had  boasted  that  Poseidon,  the  god  of  the  Sea, 
could  afflict  him  no  more.  And  of  your  father,  the  renowned 
Odysseus,  the  Ancient  One  had  a  tale  to  tell. 

'Then,  and  even  now  it  may  be,  Odysseus  was  on  an  island 
away  from  all  mankind.  "There  he  abides  in  the  hall  of  the 
nymph  Calypso,"  the  Ancient  One  of  the  Sea  told  me.  "I  saw 
him  shed  great  tears  because  he  could  not  go  from  that  place. 
But  he  has  no  ship  and  no  companions  and  the  nymph  Calypso 
holds  him  there.  And  always  he  longs  to  return  to  his  own 
country,  to  the  land  of  Ithaka."  And  after  he  had  spoken  to 
me  of  Odysseus,  he  went  from  us  and  plunged  into  the  sea. 

'Thereafter  I  went  back  to  the  river  ^Egyptus  and  moored 
my  ships  and  made  pious  sacrifice  to  the  gods.  A  fair  wind  came 
to  us  and  we  set  out  for  our  own  country.  Swiftly  we  came  to  it, 
and  now  you  see  me  the  happiest  of  all  those  who  set  out  to  wage 
war  against  Troy.  And  now,  dear  son  of  Odysseus,  you  know 
what  an  immortal  told  of  your  father  —  how  he  is  still  in  life, 
but  how  he  is  held  from  returning  to  his  own  home.' 

Thus  from  Menelaus  the  youth  Telemachus  got  tiding  of  his 
father.  When  the  King  ceased  to  speak  they  went  from  the  hall 
with  torches  in  their  hands  and  came  to  the  vestibule  where 
Helen's   handmaids   had   prepared   beds   for   Telemachus   and 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


49 


Peisistratus.  And  as  he  lay  there  under  purple  blankets  and 
soft  coverlets,  the  son  of  Odysseus  thought  upon  his  father,  still 
in  life,  but  held  in  that  unknown  island  by  the  nymph  Calypso. 


IS  ship  and  his  fellow-voyagers  waited  at 
Pylos  but  for  a  while  longer  Telemachus 
bided  in  Sparta,  for  he  would  fain  hear 
from  Menelaus  and  from  Helen  the 
tale  of  Troy.  Many  days  he  stayed, 
and  on  the  first  day  Menelaus  told  him 
of  Achilles,  the  greatest  of  the  heroes  who 
had  fought  against  Troy,  and  on  another  day  the  lady  Helen 
told  him  of  Hector,  the  noblest  of  all  the  men  who  defended 
King  Priam's  City. 

'  Achilles,'  said  King  Menelaus,  '  was  sprung  of  a  race  that  was 
favoured  by  the  immortals.  Peleus,  the  father  of  Achilles,  had 
for  his  friend,  Cheiron,  the  wisest  of  the  Centaurs — of  those  im- 
mortals who  are  half  men  and  half  horse.  Cheiron  it  was  who 
gave  to  Peleus  his  great  spear.  And  when  Peleus  desired  to  wed 
an  immortal,  Zeus,  the  greatest  of  the  gods,  prevailed  upon  the 
nymph  Thetis  to  marry  him,  although  marriage  with  a  mortal  was 
against  her  will.  To  the  wedding  of  Thetis  and  Peleus  all  the 
gods  came.  And  for  wedding  gifts  Zeus  gave  such  armour  as 
no  mortal  had  ever  worn  before  —  armour  wonderfully  bright 
and  wonderfully  strong,  and  he  gave  also  two  immortal  horses. 


5o  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

'  Achilles  was  the  child  of  Thetis  and  Peleus  —  of  an  immortal 
woman  married  to  a  mortal  hero.  He  grew  up  most  strong  and 
fleet  of  foot.  When  he  was  grown  to  be  a  youth  he  was  sent  to 
Cheiron,  and  his  father's  friend  instructed  him  in  all  the  ways  of 
war.  He  became  the  greatest  of  spearmen,  and  on  the  mountain 
with  the  Centaur  he  gained  in  strength  and  in  fleetness  of  foot. 

'  Now  after  he  returned  to  his  father's  hall  the  war  against  Troy 
began  to  be  prepared  for.  Agamemnon,  the  king,  wanted  Achil- 
les to  join  the  host.  But  Thetis,  knowing  that  great  disasters 
would  befall  those  who  went  to  that  war,  feared  for  Achilles. 
She  resolved  to  hide  him  so  that  no  word  from  King  Agamemnon 
might  reach  him.  And  how  did  the  nymph  Thetis  hide  her  son? 
She  sent  him  to  King  Lycomedes  and  prayed  the  King  to  hide 
Achilles  amongst  his  daughters. 

'  So  the  youth  Achilles  was  dressed  as  a  maiden  and  stayed 
with  the  daughters  of  the  King.  The  messengers  of  Agamemnon 
searched  everywhere  for  him.  Many  of  them  came  to  the  court 
of  King  Lycomedes,  but  not  finding  one  like  Achilles  amongst 
the  King's  sons  they  went  away. 

'  Odysseus,  by  Agamemnon's  order,  came  to  seek  Achilles. 
He  knew  that  the  youth  was  not  amongst  the  King's  sons.  He 
saw  the  King's  daughters  in  their  father's  orchard,  but  could 
not  tell  if  Achilles  was  amongst  them,  for  all  were  veiled  and 
dressed  alike. 

1  Then  Odysseus  went  away  and  returned  as  a  peddler  carrying 
in  his  pack  such  things  as  maidens  admire  —  veils  and  orna- 


52  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

ments  and  brazen  mirrors.  But  under  the  veils  and  ornaments 
and  mirrors  the  wise  Odysseus  left  a  gleaming  sword.  When 
he  came  before  the  maidens  in  the  King's  orchard  he  laid  down 
his  peddler's  pack.  The  mirrors  and  veils  and  ornaments  were 
taken  up  and  examined  eagerly.  But  one  of  the  company  took 
up  the  gleaming  sword  and  looked  at  it  with  flashing  eyes. 
Odysseus  knew  that  this  was  Achilles,  King  Peleus'  son. 

'  He  gave  the  youth  the  summons  of  King  Agamemnon,  bidding 
him  join  the  war  that  the  Kings  and  Princes  of  Greece  were 
about  to  wage  against  Troy.  And  Achilles  was  glad  to  get  the 
summons  and  glad  to  go.  He  returned  to  Phthia,  to  his  father's 
citadel.  There  did  he  make  ready  to  go  to  Aulis  where  the  ships 
were  being  gathered.  He  took  with  him  his  father's  famous 
warriors,  the  Myrmidons  who  were  never  beaten  in  battle.  And 
his  father  bestowed  on  him  the  armour  and  the  horses  that  had 
been  the  gift  of  Zeus  —  the  two  immortal  horses  Xanthos  and 
Balios. 

'  But  what  rejoiced  Achilles  more  than  the  gift  of  marvellous 
armour  and  immortal  steeds  was  that  his  dear  comrade,  Patro- 
klos,  was  to  be  with  him  as  his  mate  in  war.  Patroklos  had  come 
into  Phthia  and  into  the  hall  of  Peleus  when  he  was  a  young  boy. 
In  his  own  country  he  had  killed  another  boy  by  mischance  over 
a  game  of  dice.  His  father,  to  save  him  from  the  penalty,  fled 
with  him  to  King  Peleus.  And  Achilles'  father  gave  them  refuge 
and  took  Patroklos  into  his  house  and  reared  him  up  with  his 
own  son.     Later  he  made  him  squire  to  Achilles.     These  two 


54 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 


grew    up   together  and  more  than   brothers    they   loved   each 
other. 

'  Achilles  bade  good-bye  to  Phthia,  and  to  his  hero-father  and 
his  immortal  mother,  and  he  and  Patroklos  with  the  Myrmidons 
went  over  the  sea  to  Aulis  and  joined  the  host  of  the  Kings  and 
Princes  who  had  made  a  vow  not  to  refrain  from  war  until  they 
had  taken  King  Priam's  famous  city.' 

XI 

CHILLES  became  the  most  renowned  of 
all  the  heroes  who  strove  against  Troy  in 
the  years  the  fighting  went  on.  Before  the 
sight  of  him,  clad  in  the  flashing  armour 
that  was  the  gift  of  Zeus  and  standing  in 
the  chariot  drawn  by  the  immortal  horses, 
the  Trojan  ranks  would  break  and  the 

Trojan  men  would  flee  back  to  the  gate  of  their  city.     And 

many  lesser  cities  and  towns  around  Troy  did  the  host  with  the 

help  of  Achilles  take. 

'  Now  because  of  two  maidens  taken  captive  from  some  of 

these  cities  a  quarrel  between  Achilles  and  Agamemnon  grew  up. 

One  of  the  maidens  was  called  Chryseis  and  the  other  Briseis. 

Chryseis  was  given  to  Agamemnon  and  Briseis  to  Achilles. 
'  The  father  of  Chryseis  was  a  priest  of  Apollo,  and  when  the 

maiden,  his  daughter,  was  not  given  back  to  him,  he  went  and 

prayed  the  god  to  avenge  him  on  the  host.     Apollo  listened  to 


56  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

his  prayer,  and  straightway  the  god  left  his  mountain  peak  with 
his  bow  of  silver  in  his  hands.  He  stood  behind  the  ships  and 
shot  his  arrows  into  the  host.  Terrible  was  the  clanging  of  his 
silver  bow.  He  smote  the  beasts  of  the  camp  first,  the  dogs  and 
the  mules  and  the  horses,  and  then  he  smote  the  men,  and  those 
whom  his  arrows  smote  were  stricken  by  the  plague. 

'  The  warriors  began  to  die,  and  every  day  more  perished  by 
the  plague  than  were  killed  by  the  spears  and  swords  and  arrows 
of  the  Trojans.  Now  a  council  was  summoned  and  the  chiefs 
debated  what  was  to  be  done  to  save  the  host.  At  the  coun- 
cil there  was  a  soothsayer  named  Kalchas;  he  stood  up  and 
declared  that  he  knew  the  cause  of  the  plague,  and  he  knew  too 
how  the  remainder  of  the  host  might  be  saved  from  it. 

'  It  was  because  of  the  anger  of  Apollo,  Kalchas  said ;  and  that 
anger  could  only  be  averted  by  Agamemnon  sending  back  to  his 
father,  the  priest  of  Apollo,  the  maiden  Chryseis. 

'Then  was  Agamemnon  wroth  exceedingly.  "Thou  seer  of 
things  evil,"  said  he  to  Kalchas,  "never  didst  thou  see  aught  of 
good  for  me  or  mine.  The  maiden  given  to  me,  Chryseis,  I 
greatly  prize.  Yet  rather  than  my  folk  should  perish  I  shall  let 
her  be  taken  from  me.  But  this  let  you  all  of  the  council  know : 
some  other  prize  must  be  given  to  me  that  the  whole  host  may 
know  that  Agamemnon  is  not  slighted."  ' 

'Then  said  Achilles:  "Agamemnon,  of  all  Kings  you  are  the 
most  covetous.  The  best  of  us  toil  and  battle  that  you  may 
come  and  take  what  part  of  the  spoil  may  please  you.    Be 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


57 


covetous  no  more.  Let  this  maiden  go  back  to  her  father  and 
afterwards  we  will  give  you  some  other  prize."  ' 

(  Said  Agamemnon :  "The  council  here  must  bind  itself  to 
give  me  recompense."  ' 

'"Still  you  speak  of  recompense,  Agamemnon,"  answered 
Achilles.  "  No  one  gains  more  than  you  gain.  I  had  no  quarrel 
with  the  men  of  Troy,  and  yet  I  have  come  here,  and  my  hands 
bear  the  brunt  of  the  war."  ' 

'  "You  who  are  captains  must  give  me  a  recompense,"  said 
Agamemnon,  "or  else  I  shall  go  to  the  tent  of  Achilles  and  take 
away  the  maiden  given  to  him,  Briseis  of  the  Fair  Cheeks." ' 

'  "I  am  wearied  of  making  war  for  you,"  answered  Achilles. 
"  Though  I  am  always  in  the  strife  but  little  of  the  spoil  comes 
to  my  tent.  Now  will  I  depart  to  my  own  land,  to  Phthia,  for 
I  am  not  minded  to  stay  here  and  be  dishonoured  by  you,  O 
King."' 

'  "  Go,"  said  Agamemnon,  "if  your  soul  be  set  upon  fleeing,  go. 
But  do  not  think  that  there  are  not  captains  and  heroes  here 
who  can  make  war  without  you.  Go  and  lord  it  amongst  your 
Myrmidons.  Never  shall  we  seek  your  aid.  And  that  all  may 
know  I  am  greater  than  you,  Achilles,  I  shall  go  to  your  tent  and 
take  away  the  maiden  Briseis."  ' 

'  When  he  heard  Agamemnon's  speech  the  heart  within  Achilles' 
breast  was  divided,  and  he  knew  not  whether  he  should  remain 
still  and  silent  in  his  anger,  or,  thrusting  the  council  aside,  go  up 
to  Agamemnon  and  slay  him  with  the  sword.     His  hand  was  upon 


58  THE   ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

the  sword-hilt  when  an  immortal  appeared  to  him  —  the  goddess 
Athene.  No  one  in  the  company  but  Achilles  was  aware  of  her 
presence.  "Draw  not  the  sword  upon  Agamemnon,"  she  said, 
"for  equally  dear  to  the  gods  are  you  both."  Then  Achilles  drew 
back  and  thrust  his  heavy  sword  into  its  sheath  again.  But 
although  he  held  his  hand  he  did  not  refrain  from  angry  and 
bitter  words.  He  threw  down  on  the  ground  the  staff  that  had 
been  put  into  his  hands  as  a  sign  that  he  was  to  be  listened  to  in 
the  council.  "By  this  staff  that  no  more  shall  bear  leaf  or 
blossom,"  he  said,  "I  swear  that  longing  for  Achilles'  aid  shall 
come  upon  the  host  of  Agamemnon,  but  that  no  Achilles  shall 
come  to  their  help.  I  swear  that  I  shall  let  Hector  triumph 
over  you."  ' 

'  Then  the  council  broke  up  and  Achilles  with  Patroklos,  his 
dear  comrade,  went  back  to  their  tent.  A  ship  was  launched 
and  the  maiden  Chryseis  was  put  aboard  and  Odysseus  was 
placed  in  command.  The  ship  set  out  for  Chryse.  There  on 
the  beach  they  found  the  priest  of  Apollo,  and  Odysseus 
placed  his  daughter  in  the  old  man's  arms.  They  made  sac- 
rifice to  Apollo,  and  thereafter  the  plague  was  averted  from  the 
host. 

1  But  to  Achilles'  tent  there  came  the  messengers  of  the  King, 
and  they  took  Briseis  of  the  Fair  Cheeks  and  led  her  away; 
Achilles,  in  bitter  anger,  sat  by  the  sea,  hard  in  his  resolve  not  to 
help  Agamemnon's  men,  no  matter  what  defeat  great  Hector 
inflicted  upon  them.' 


AND   THE   TALE  OF  TROY 


59 


XII 


UCH  was  the  quarrel,  dear  son,  between 
Agamemnon,  King  of  men,  and  great 
Achilles.  Ah,  because  of  that  quarrel 
many  brave  men  and  great  captains 
whom  I  remember  went  down  to  their 
deaths ! ' 

'  But  Agamemnon  before  long  relented 
and  he  sent  three  envoys  to  make  friendship  between  himself 
and  Achilles.  The  envoys  were  Odysseus  and  Aias  and  the  old 
man  Phoinix  who  had  been  a  foster-father  to  Achilles.  Now 
when  these  three  went  into  his  hut  they  found  Achilles  sitting 
with  a  lyre  in  his  hands,  singing  to  the  music  he  made.  His  song 
was  of  what  Thetis,  his  goddess-mother,  had  told  him  concerning 
his  own  fate  —  how,  if  he  remained  in  the  war  against  Troy, 
he  should  win  for  himself  imperishable  renown  but  would  soon 
lose  Ins  life,  and  how,  if  he  left  the  war,  his  years  in  his  own  land 
should  be  long,  although  no  great  renown  would  be  his.  Patro- 
klos,  his  dear  friend,  listened  to  what  Achilles  sang.  And 
Achilles  sang  of  what  royal  state  would  be  his  if  he  gave  up 
the  war  against  the  Trojans  and  went  back  to  his  father's  halls 
—  old  Peleus  would  welcome  him,  and  he  would  seek  a  bride 
for  him  from  amongst  the  loveliest  of  the  Greek  maidens.  "In 
three  days,"  he  sang,  "can  Poseidon,  God  of  the  Sea,  bring  me 
to  my  own  land  and  to  my  father's  royal  castle."  ' 


60  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

'  "Well  dost  thou  sing,  Achilles,"  said  Odysseus  to  him,  "and 
pleasant  would  it  be  to  hear  thy  song  if  our  hearts  were  not  filled 
up  with  great  griefs.  But  have  not  nine  years  passed  away  since 
we  came  here  to  make  war  on  Troy  ?  And  now  are  not  our  ships' 
timbers  rotted  and  their  tacklings  loosed,  and  do  not  many  of  our 
warriors  think  in  their  hearts  how  their  wives  and  children  have 
long  been  waiting  for  their  return  ?  And  still  the  walls  of  Troy 
rise  up  before  us  as  high  and  as  unconquerable  as  ever !  No 
wonder  our  hearts  are  filled  up  with  griefs.  And  now  Achilles, 
the  greatest  of  our  heroes,  and  the  Myrmidons,  the  best  of  our 
warriors,  have  left  us  and  gone  out  of  the  fight."  ' 

'  "Even  to-day  did  great  Hector  turn  back  our  battalions  that 
were  led  by  Agamemnon  and  Aias  and  Diomedes,  driving  us  to 
the  wall  that  we  have  built  around  our  ships.  Behind  that  wall 
we  halted  and  called  one  to  the  other  to  find  out  who  had  escaped 
and  who  had  fallen  in  the  onslaught  Hector  made.  Only  when 
he  had  driven  us  behind  our  wall  did  Hector  turn  back  his  chariot 
and  draw  off  his  men."  ' 

UT  Hector  has  not  gone  through  the  gates 
of  the  City.  Look  now,  Achilles !  His 
chariots  remain  on  the  plain.  Lo  now, 
his  watch-fires !  A  thousand  fires  thou 
canst  see  and  beside  each  sits  fifty  war- 
riors with  their  horses  loose  beside  their 
chariots  champing  barley.  Eagerly  they 
wait  for  the  light  of  the  dawn  when  they  will  come  against  us 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  61 

again,  hoping  this  time  to  overthrow  the  wall  we  have  builded, 
and  come  to  our  ships  and  burn  them  with  fire,  and  so  destroy 
all  hope  of  our  return.  "  ' 

'  "We  are  all  stricken  with  grief  and  fear.  Even  Agamemnon 
weeps.  We  have  seen  him  standing  before  us  like  unto  a  dark 
fountain  breaking  from  some  beetling  cliff.  How  else  could  he 
but  weep  tears  ?  To-morrow  it  may  be  he  shall  have  to  bid  the 
host  draw  the  ships  to  the  water  and  depart  from  the  coast  of 
Troy.  Then  will  his  name  forever  be  dishonoured  because  of 
defeat  and  the  loss  of  so  many  warriors."  ' 

'  "Deem'st  thou  I  grieve  for  Agamemnon's  griefs,  Odysseus?" 
said  Achilles.  "But  although  thou  dost  speak  of  Agamemnon 
thou  art  welcome,  thou  and  thy  companions.  Even  in  my 
wrath  you  three  are  dear  to  me."  ' 

'  He  brought  them  within  the  hut  and  bade  a  feast  be  pre- 
pared for  them.  To  Odysseus,  Aias  and  Phoinix  wine  cups  were 
handed.  And  when  they  had  feasted  and  drunk  wine,  Odysseus 
turned  to  where  Achilles  sat  on  his  bench  in  the  light  of  the  fire, 
and  said  : 

'  "Know,  Achilles,  that  we  three  are  here  as  envoys  from  King 
Agamemnon.  He  would  make  a  friendship  with  thee  again.  He 
has  injured  and  he  has  offended  thee,  but  all  that  a  man  can  do  he 
will  do  to  make  amends.  The  maiden  Briseis  he  will  let  go  back. 
Many  gifts  will  he  give  thee  too,  Achilles.  He  will  give  thee 
seven  tripods,  and  twenty  cauldrons,  and  ten  talents  of  gold. 
Yes,  and  besides,  twelve  royal  horses,  each  one  of  which  has 


62  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

triumphed  in  some  race.  He  who  possesses  these  horses  will 
never  lack  for  wealth  as  long  as  prizes  are  to  be  won  by  swiftness. 
And  harken  to  what  more  Agamemnon  bade  us  say  to  thee.  If 
we  win  Troy  he  will  let  thee  load  your  ship  with  spoil  of  the  city 
—  with  gold  and  bronze  and  precious  stuffs.  And  thereafter, 
if  we  win  to  our  homes  he  will  treat  thee  as  his  own  royal  son  and 
will  give  thee  seven  cities  to  rule  over.  And  if  thou  wilt  wed 
there  are  three  daughters  in  his  hall  —  three  of  the  fairest  maidens 
of  the  Greeks  —  and  the  one  thou  wilt  choose  he  will  give  thee 
for  thy  wife,  Chrysothemis,  or  Laodike,  or  Iphianassa."  ' 

'  So  Odysseus  spoke  and  then  Aias  said,  "Think,  Achilles,  and 
abandon  now  thy  wrath.  If  Agamemnon  be  hateful  to  thee 
and  if  thou  despiseth  his  gifts,  think  upon  thy  friends  and  thy 
companions  and  have  pity  upon  them.  Even  for  our  sakes, 
Achilles,  arise  now  and  go  into  battle  and  stay  the  onslaught  of 
the  terrible  Hector."  ' 

'  Achilles  did  not  answer.  His  lion's  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
those  who  had  spoken  and  his  look  did  not  change  at  all  for  all 
that  was  said.' 

'  Then  the  old  man  Phoinix  who  had  nurtured  him  went  over 
to  him.  He  could  not  speak,  for  tears  had  burst  from  him. 
But  at  last,  holding  Achilles'  hands,  he  said  : 

'  "In  thy  father's  house  did  I  not  rear  thee  to  greatness  — ■  even 
thee,  most  noble  Achilles.  With  me  and  with  none  other 
wouldst  thou  go  into  the  feasthall,  and,  as  a  child,  thou  would'st 
stay  at  my  knee  and  eat  the  morsel  I  gave,  and  drink  from  the 


64 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


cup  that  I  put  to  thy  lips.  I  reared  thee,  and  I  suffered  and 
toiled  much  that  thou  mightst  have  strength  and  skill  and 
quickness.  Be  thou  merciful  in  thy  heart,  Achilles.  Be  not 
wrathful  any  more.  Cast  aside  thine  anger  now  and  save  the 
host.  Come  now.  The  gifts  Agamemnon  would  give  thee  are 
very  great,  and  no  king  nor  prince  could  despise  them.  But  if 
without  gifts  thou  would'st  enter  the  battle,  then  above  all 
heroes  the  host  would  honour  thee."  ' 

'Achilles  answered  Phoinix  gently  and  said,  "The  honour  the 
host  would  bestow  upon  me  I  have  no  need  of,  for  I  am  honoured  in 
the  judgment  of  Zeus,  the  greatest  of  the  gods,  and  while  breath 
remains  with  me  that  honour  cannot  pass  away.  But  do  thou, 
Phoinix,  stay  with  me,  and  many  things  I  shall  bestow  upon  thee, 
even  the  half  of  my  kingdom.  Ah,  but  urge  me  not  to  help 
Agamemnon,  for  if  thou  dost  I  shall  look  upon  thee  as  a  friend 
to  Agamemnon,  and  I  shall  hate  thee,  my  foster-father,  as  I  hate 
him."  ' 

HEN  to  Odysseus,  Achilles  spoke  and  said, 
"Son  of  Laertes,  wisest  of  men,  harken 
now  to  what  I  shall  say  to  thee.  Here 
I  should  have  stayed  and  won  that  imper- 
ishable renown  that  my  goddess-mother 
told  me  of,  even  at  the  cost  of  my  young 
life  if  Agamemnon  had  not  aroused  the 
wrath  that  now  possesses  me.  Know  that  my  soul  is  im- 
placable towards  him.     How  often  did  I  watch  out  sleepless 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  65 

nights,  how  often  did  I  spend  my  days  in  bloody  battle  for 
the  sake  of  Agamemnon's  and  his  brother's  cause !  Why  are 
we  here  if  not  because  of  lovely  Helen?  And  yet  one  whom 
I  cherished  as  Menelaus  cherished  Helen  has  been  taken  from 
me  by  order  of  this  King !  He  would  let  her  go  her  way  now ! 
But  no,  I  do  not  desire  to  see  Briseis  ever  again,  for  everything 
that  comes  from  Agamemnon's  hand  is  hateful  to  me.  Hateful 
are  all  the  gifts  he  would  bestow  upon  me,  and  him  and  his 
treasures  I  hold  at  a  straw's  worth.  I  have  chosen.  To- 
morrow I  shall  have  my  Myrmidons  draw  my  ships  out  to  the 
sea,  and  I  shall  depart  from  Troy  for  my  own  land."  ' 

'  Said  Aias,  "Have  the  gods,  Achilles,  put  into  your  breast  a 
spirit  implacable  and  proud  above  all  men's  spirits?  "  ' 

'  "Yea,  Aias,"  said  Achilles.  "My  spirit  cannot  contain  my 
wrath.  Agamemnon  has  treated  me,  not  as  a  leader  of  armies 
who  won  many  battles  for  him,  but  as  a  vile  sojourner  in  his 
camp.  Go  now  and  declare  my  will  to  him.  Never  again  shall 
I  take  thought  of  his  war."  ' 

'  So  he  spoke,  and  each  man  took  up  a  two-handled  cup  and 
poured  out  wine  as  an  offering  to  the  gods.  Then  Odysseus 
and  Aias  in  sadness  left  the  hut.  But  Phoinix  remained,  and 
for  him  Patroklos,  the  dear  friend  of  Achilles,  spread  a  couch 
of  fleeces  and  rugs.' 

'  Odysseus  and  Aias  went  along  the  shore  of  the  sea  and  by  the 
line  of  the  ships  and  they  came  to  where  Agamemnon  was  with 
the  greatest  of  the  warriors  of  the  host.     Odysseus  told  them 


06 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


that  by  no  means  would  Achilles  join  in  the  battle,  and  they  all 
were  made  silent  with  grief.  Then  Diomedes,  the  great  horse- 
man, rose  up  and  said,  "Let  Achilles  stay  or  go,  fight  or  not 
fight,  as  it  pleases  him.  But  it  is  for  us  who  have  made  a  vow 
to  take  Priam's  city,  to  fight  on.  Let  us  take  food  and  rest  now, 
and  to-morrow  let  us  go  against  Hector's  host,  and  you,  Aga- 
memnon, take  the  foremost  place  in  the  battle."  ' 

'  So  Diomedes  spoke  and  the  warriors  applauded  what  he  said, 
and  they  all  poured  out  libations  of  wine  to  the  gods,  and  there- 
after they  went  to  their  huts  and  slept.  But  for  Agamemnon, 
the  King,  there  was  no  sleep  that  night.  Before  his  eyes  was 
the  blaze  of  Hector's  thousand  watch-fires  and  in  his  ears  were 
the  sound  of  pipes  and  flutes  that  made  war-music  for  the  Trojan 
host  encamped  upon  the  plain.' 


XIII 

HEN  dawn  came  the  King  arrayed  himself 
for  the  battle,  putting  on  his  great  breast- 
plate and  his  helmet  that  had  a  high 
plume  of  horse-hair ;  fastening  about  his 
legs  greaves  fitted  with  ankle-clasps  of 
silver ;  and  hanging  round  his  shoulders 
a  great  sword  that  shone  with  studs  of 
gold  —  a  sword  that  had  a  silver  scabbard  fitted  with  golden 
chains.  Over  his  shoulders  he  cast  a  great  lion's  skin,  and  he 
took  upon  his  arm  a  shield  that  covered  the  whole  of  a  man. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  67 

Next  he  took  in  his  hands  two  strong  spears  of  bronze,  and  so 
arrayed  and  so  armed  he  was  ready  to  take  the  foremost  place 
in  the  battle.' 

'  He  cried  aloud  and  bade  the  Greeks  arm  themselves,  and 
straightway  they  did  so  and  poured  from  behind  the  wall  that 
guarded  their  ships  into  the  Trojan  plain.  Then  the  chiefs 
mounted  their  chariots,  and  their  charioteers  turned  the  horses 
towards  the  place  of  battle.' 

'  Now  on  the  high  ground  before  them  the  Trojans  had  gathered 
in  their  battalions  and  the  figure  of  great  Hector  was  plain  to 
Agamemnon  and  his  men.  Like  a  star  that  now  and  then  was 
hidden  by  a  cloud,  so  he  appeared  as  he  went  through  the  battal- 
ions, all  covered  with  shining  bronze.  Spears  and  arrows  fell 
upon  both  sides.  Footmen  kept  slaying  footmen  and  horsemen 
kept  slaying  horsemen  with  the  sword,  and  the  dust  of  the  plain 
rose  up,  stirred  by  the  thundering  hooves  of  the  horses.  From 
dawn  till  morning  and  from  morning  till  noon  the  battle  raged, 
but  at  mid-day  the  Greeks  broke  through  the  Trojan  lines. 
Then  Agamemnon  in  his  chariot  rushed  through  a  gap  in  the 
line.  Two  men  did  he  instantly  slay,  and  dashing  onward  he 
slew  two  warriors  who  were  sons  of  King  Priam.  Like  fire 
falling  upon  a  wood  and  burning  up  the  underwood  went  King 
Agamemnon  through  the  Trojan  ranks,  and  when  he  passed 
many  strong-necked  horses  rattled  empty  chariots,  leaving  on 
the  earth  the  slain  warriors  that  had  been  in  them.  And  through 
the  press  of  men  and  up  to  the  high  walls  of  Troy  did  Agamem- 


68  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

non  go,  slaying  Trojan  warriors  with  his  spear.  Hector  did  not 
go  nigh  him,  for  the  gods  had  warned  Hector  not  to  lead  any 
onslaught  until  Agamemnon  had  turned  back  from  battle.' 

'  But  a  Trojan  warrior  smote  King  Agamemnon  on  the  mid- 
arm,  below  the  elbow,  and  the  point  of  his  spear  went  clean 
through.  Still  he  went  through  the  ranks  of  the  Trojans,  slay- 
ing with  spear  and  sword.  And  then  the  blood  dried  upon 
his  wound  and  a  sharp  pain  came  upon  him  and  he  cried  out, 
"O  friends  and  captains!  It  is  not  possible  for  me  to  war  for 
ever  against  the  Trojans,  but  do  you  fight  on  to  keep  the  battle 
from  our  ships."  His  charioteer  turned  his  horses,  and  they, 
all  covered  with  foam  and  grimed  with  dust,  dashed  back  across 
the  plain  bearing  the  wounded  King  from  that  day's  battle.' 

'  Then  Hector  sprang  to  the  onslaught.  Leaping  into  his 
chariot  he  led  the  Trojans  on.  Nine  captains  of  the  Greeks  he 
slew  in  the  first  onset.  Now  their  ranks  would  have  been  broken, 
and  the  Greeks  would  have  fled  back  to  their  ships  if  Odysseus 
had  not  been  on  that  wing  of  the  battle  with  Diomedes,  the  great 
horseman.  Odysseus  cried  out,  "Come  hither,  Diomedes,  or 
verily  Hector  will  sweep  us  across  the  plain  and  bring  the  battle 
down  to  our  ships."  ' 

'  Then  these  two  forced  themselves  through  the  press  of  battle 
and  held  back  the  onset  of  Hector  till  the  Greeks  had  their 
chance  to  rally.  Hector  spied  them  and  swept  in  his  chariot 
towards  them.  Diomedes  lifted  his  great  spear  and  flung  it  full 
at  Hector.     The  bronze  of  the  spear  struck  the  bronze  of  his 


70  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

helmet,  and  bronze  by  bronze  was  turned.  The  blow  told  upon 
Hector.  But  he,  springing  from  his  chariot,  stayed  amongst 
the  press  of  warriors,  resting  himself  on  his  hands  and  knees. 
Darkness  was  before  his  eyes  for  a  while,  but  he  got  breath  again, 
and  leaping  back  into  his  chariot  drove  away  from  that  danger- 
ous place.' 

'  Then  Diomedes  himself  received  a  bitterer  wound,  for  Paris, 
sheltering  himself  behind  a  pillar  on  the  plain,  let  fly  an  arrow 
at  him.  It  went  clean  through  his  right  foot.  Odysseus  put 
his  shield  before  his  friend  and  comrade,  and  Diomedes  was  able 
to  draw  the  arrow  from  his  flesh.  But  Diomedes  was  fain  to  get 
back  into  his  chariot  and  to  command  his  charioteer  to  drive 
from  the  battle.' 

'  Now  Odysseus  was  the  only  one  of  the  captains  who  stayed 
on  that  side  of  the  battle,  and  the  ranks  of  the  Trojans  came  on 
and  hemmed  him  round.  One  warrior  struck  at  the  centre  of 
his  shield  and  through  the  shield  the  strong  Trojan  spear  passed 
and  wounded  the  flesh  of  Odysseus.  He  slew  the  warrior  who 
had  wounded  him  and  he  drew  the  spear  from  his  flesh,  but  he 
had  to  give  ground.  But  loudly  as  any  man  ever  cried,  Odysseus 
cried  out  to  the  other  captains.  And  strong  Aias  heard  him  and 
drew  near,  bearing  his  famous  shield  that  was  like  a  tower.  The 
Trojan  warriors  that  were  round  him  drew  back  at  the  coming 
of  Aias  and  Odysseus  went  from  the  press  of  battle,  and  mounting 
his  chariot  drove  away.' 

'  Where  Aias  fought  the  Trojans  gave  way,  and  on  that  side  of 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  71 

the  battle  they  were  being  driven  back  towards  the  City.  But 
suddenly  upon  Aias  there  fell  an  unaccountable  dread.  He  cast 
behind  him  his  great  shield,  and  he  stood  in  a  maze,  like  a  wild 
bull,  turning  this  way  and  that,  and  slowly  retreating  before 
those  who  pressed  towards  him.  But  now  and  again  his  valour 
would  come  back  and  he  would  stand  steadily  and,  with  his 
great  shield,  hold  at  bay  the  Trojans  who  were  pressing  towards 
the  ships.  Arrows  fell  thick  upon  his  shield,  confusing  his  mind. 
And  Aias  might  have  perished  beneath  the  arrows  if  his  comrades 
had  not  drawn  him  to  where  they  stood  with  shields  sloping  for 
a  shelter,  and  so  saved  him.' 

'  All  this  time  Hector  was  fighting  on  the  left  wing  of  the  battle 
against  the  Greeks,  who  were  led  by  Nestor  and  Idomeneus. 
And  on  this  side  Paris  let  fly  an  arrow  that  brought  trouble 
to  the  enemies  of  his  father's  City.  He  struck  Machaon  who 
was  the  most  skilled  healer  of  wounds  in  the  whole  of  the  host. 
And  those  who  were  around  Machaon  were  fearful  that  the 
Trojans  would  seize  the  stricken  man  and  bear  him  away.  Then 
said  Idomeneus,  "Nestor,  arise.  Get  Machaon  into  your  chariot 
and  drive  swiftly  from  the  press  of  battle.  A  healer  such  as  he 
is  worth  the  lives  of  many  men.  Save  him  alive  so  that  we 
may  still  have  him  to  draw  the  arrows  from  our  flesh  and  put 
medicaments  into  our  wounds."  Then  did  Nestor  lift  the 
healer  into  his  chariot,  and  the  charioteer  turned  the  horses 
and  they  too  drove  from  the  press  of  battle  and  towards  the 
hollow  ships.' 


72 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


XIV 

CHILLES,  standing  by  the  stern  of  his 
great  ship,  saw  the  battle  as  it  went  this 
way  and  that  way,  but  his  heart  was  not 
at  all  moved  with  pity  for  the  destruction 
wrought  upon  the  Greeks.  He  saw  the 
chariot  of  Nestor  go  dashing  by,  dragged 
by  sweating  horses,  and  he  knew  that  a 
wounded  man  was  in  the  chariot.  When  it  had  passed  he 
spoke  to  his  dear  friend  Patroklos. 

'  "Go  now,  Patroklos,"  he  said,  "  and  ask  of  Nestor  who  it  is 
that  he  has  borne  away  from  the  battle." ' 

'"I  go,  Achilles,"  Patroklos  said,  and  even  as  he  spoke  he 
started  to  run  along  the  line  of  the  ships  and  to  the  hut  of  Nestor.' 
'  He  stood  before  the  door,  and  when  old  Nestor  beheld  him  he 
bade  him  enter.  "Achilles  sent  me  to  you,  revered  Nestor," 
said  Patroklos,  "  to  ask  who  it  was  you  bore  out  of  the  battle 
wounded.  But  I  need  not  ask,  for  I  see  that  it  is  none  other 
than  Machaon,  the  best  of  our  healers."  ' 

'"Why  should  Achilles  concern  himself  with  those  who  are 
wounded  in  the  fight  with  Hector?"  said  old  Nestor.  "He 
does  not  care  at  all  what  evils  befall  the  Greeks.  But  thou, 
Patroklos,  wilt  be  grieved  to  know  that  Diomedes  and  Odysseus 
have  been  wounded,  and  that  sore- wounded  is  Machaon  whom 
thou  seest  here.     Ah,  but  Achilles  will  have  cause  to  lament 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


73 


when  the  host  perishes  beside  our  burning  ships  and  when  Hector 
triumphs  over  all  the  Greeks."  ' 

'  Then  the  old  man  rose  up  and  taking  Patroklos  by  the  hand 
led  him  within  the  hut,  and  brought  him  to  a  bench  beside  which 
lay  Machaon,  the  wounded  man.' 

'"Patroklos,"  said  Nestor,  "speak  thou  to  Achilles.  Nay, 
but  thy  father  bade  thee  spake  words  of  counsel  to  thy  friend. 
Did  he  not  say  to  thee  'turn  Achilles  from  harsh  courses  by 
gentle  words'?  Remember  now  the  words  of  thy  father, 
Patroklos,  and  if  ever  thou  did'st  speak  to  Achilles  with  gentle 
wisdom  speak  to  him  now.  Who  knows  but  thy  words  might 
stir  up  his  spirit  to  take  part  in  the  battle  we  have  to  fight  with 
Hector?'" 

1  "Nay,  nay,  old  man,"  said  Patroklos,  "I  may  not  speak  to 
Achilles  to  ask  for  such  a  thing." ' 

HEN,"  said  Nestor,  "do  thou  thyself 
enter  the  war  and  bring  Achilles'  Myr- 
midons with  thee.  Then  might  we  who 
are  wearied  with  fighting  take  breath. 
And  beg  of  Achilles  to  give  you  his 
armour  that  you  may  wear  it  in  the 
battle.  If  thou  would'st  appear  clad  in 
Achilles'  bronze  the  Trojans  would  think  that  he  had  entered 
the  war  again  and  they  would  not  force  the  fight  upon  us."  ' 

'  What  old  Nestor  said  seemed  good  to  Patroklos  and  he  left 
the  hut  and  went  back  along  the  ships.    And  on  his  way  he  met 


74  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

Eurypylos,  a  sorely  wounded  man,  dragging  himself  from  the 
battle,  and  Patroklos  helped  him  back  to  his  hut  and  cheered 
him  with  discourse  and  laid  healing  herbs  upon  his  wounds.' 

'  And  even  as  he  left  old  Nestor's  hut,  Hector  was  before  the 
wall  the  Greeks  had  builded  to  guard  their  ships.  On  came  the 
Trojans  against  that  wall,  holding  their  shields  of  bulls'  hides 
before  them.  From  the  towers  that  were  along  the  wall  the 
Greeks  IhmgBpt  stones  upon  the  attackers.' 

'  Over  the  Wst  an  eagle  flew,  holding  in  its  talons  a  blood-red 
serpent.  The  serpent  struggled  with  the  eagle  and  the  eagle 
with  the  serpent,  and  both  had  sorely  wounded  each  other. 
But  as  they  flew  over  the  host  of  Greeks  and  Trojans  the  serpent 
struck  at  the  eagle  with  his  fangs,  and  the  eagle,  wounded  in  the 
breast,  dropped  the  serpent.  Then  were  the  Trojans  in  dread, 
seeing  the  blood-red  serpent  across  their  path,  for  they  thought 
it  was  an  omen  from  Zeus.  They  would  have  turned  back  from 
the  wall  in  fear  for  this  omen  had  not  Hector  pressed  them  on. 
"One  omen  is  best,  I  know,"  he  cried,  "to  fight  a  good  fight  for 
our  country.  Forward  then  and  bring  the  battle  to  those  ships 
that  came  to  our  coast  against  the  will  of  the  gods."  ' 

'  So  Hector  spoke.  Then  he  lifted  up  a  stone  —  such  a  stone 
as  not  two  of  the  best  of  men  now  living  could  as  much  as  raise 
from  the  ground  —  and  he  flung  this  stone  full  at  the  strongly- 
set  gate.  It  broke  the  hinges  and  the  bars,  and  the  great 
gate  fell  under  the  weight  of  the  tremendous  stone.  Then 
Hector  leaped  across  it  with  two  spears  in  his  hands.     No 


76  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

warrior  could  withstand  him  now.  And  as  the  Trojans  scaled 
the  walls  and  poured  across  the  broken  gate,  the  Greeks  fled  to 
their  ships  in  terror  and  dismay.' 

.  '  Patroklos  saw  the  gate  go  down  and  the  Trojans  pour  towards 
the  ships  in  a  mass  that  was  like  a  great  rock  rolling  down  a 
cliff.  Idomeneus  and  Aias  led  the  Greeks  who  fought  to  hold 
them  back.  Hector  cast  a  spear  at  Aias  and  struck  him  where 
the  belt  of  his  shield  and  the  belt  of  his  sword  crossed.  Aias 
was  not  wounded  by  the  stroke.  Then  Aias  cast  at  Hector  a 
great  stone  that  was  used  to  prop  a  ship.  He  struck  him  on  the 
breast,  just  over  the  rim  of  his  shield.  Under  the  weight  of  that 
blow  great  Hector  spun  round  like  a  tQ£>.  The  spear  fell  from 
his  hands  and  the  bronze  of  his  shield  and  helmet  rang  as  he  fell 
on  the  ground.' 

'  Then  the  Greeks  dashed  up  to  where  Hector  lay,  hoping  to 
drag  him  amongst  them.  But  his  comrades  placed  their  shields 
around  him  and  drove  back  the  warriors  that  were  pressing 
round.  They  lifted  Hector  into  his  chariot,  and  his  charioteer 
drove  him  from  the  place  of  battle  groaning  heavily  from  the 
hurt  of  that  terrible  blow.' 

'  Now  the  Greeks  rallied  and  came  on  with  a  shout,  driving  the 
Trojans  back  before  them.  The  swift  horses  under  Hector's 
chariot  brought  him  out  on  the  plain.  They  who  were  with 
him  lifted  him  out,  and  Hector  lay  gasping  for  breath  and  with 
black  blood  gushing  from  him.  And  then  as  he  lay  there 
stricken  he  heard  the  voice  of  a  god — even  of  Apollo  —  saying, 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  77 

"Hector,  son  of  Priam,  why  dost  thou  lie  fainting,  apart  from 
the  host?  Dost  thou  not  know  that  the  battle  is  desperate? 
Take  up  thy  spirit  again.  Bid  thy  charioteer  drive  thee  towards 
the  ships  of  the  Greeks."  ' 

'  Then  Hector  rose  and  went  amongst  the  ranks  of  his  men  and 
roused  up  their  spirits  and  led  them  back  to  the  wall.  And 
when  the  Greeks  saw  Hector  in  fighting  trim  again,  going  up 
and  down  the  ranks  of  his  men,  they  were  affrighted.' 

'  He  mounted  his  chariot  and  he  shouted  to  the  others,  and  the 
Trojan  charioteers  lashed  their  horses  and  they  came  on  like  a 
great  wave.  They  crossed  the  broken  wall  again  and  came  near 
the  ships.  Then  many  of  the  Greeks  got  into  their  ships  and 
struck  at  those  who  came  near  with  long  pikes.' 

'  And  all  around  the  ships  companies  of  Greek  warriors  stood 
like  rocks  that  the  sea  breaks  against  in  vain.  Nestor  cried  out 
to  the  Greeks,  bidding  them  fight  like  heroes,  or  else  lose  in  the 
burning  ships  all  hope  of  return  to  their  native  land.  Aias,  a 
long  pike  in  his  hand,  drove  multitudes  of  Trojans  back,  while, 
in  a  loud  voice,  he  put  courage  into  the  Greeks.  Hector  fought 
his  way  forward  crying  to  the  Trojans  to  bring  fire  to  the  ships 
that  had  come  to  their  coast  against  the  will  of  the  gods.' 

'  He  came  to  the  first  of  the  ships  and  laid  his  hand  upon  its 
stern.  Many  fought  against  him  there.  Swords  and  spears 
and  armour  fell  on  the  ground,  some  from  the  hands,  some  off 
the  shoulders  of  warring  men,  and  the  black  earth  was  red  with 
blood.     But  Hector  was  not  driven  away  from  the  ship.    And 


78  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

he  shouted  "Bring  fire  that  we  may  burn  the  ships  that  have 
brought  the  enemy  to  our  land.  The  woes  we  have  suffered 
were  because  of  the  cowardice  of  the  elders  of  the  City  —  they 
would  not  let  me  bring  my  warriors  here  and  bring  battle  down 
to  the  ships  when  first  they  came  to  our  beach.  Do  not  let  us 
return  to  the  City  until  we  have  burned  the  ships  with  fire." ' 

'  But  whoever  brought  fire  near  the  ship  was  stricken  by  strong 
Aias  who  stood  there  with  a  long  pike  in  his  hands.  Now  all 
this  time  Patroklos  sat  in  the  hut  of  Eurypylos,  the  wounded 
man  he  had  succoured,  cheering  him  with  discourse  and  laying 
healing  herbs  on  his  wounds.  But  when  he  saw  fire  being  brought 
to  the  ships  he  rose  up  and  said,  ''Eurypylos,  no  longer  may  I 
stay  here  although  great  is  your  need  of  attendance.  I  must 
get  aid  for  our  warriors."  Straightway  he  ran  from  the  hut  and 
came  to  where  Achilles  was.' 

'"If  thy  heart,  Achilles,"  he  said,  "is  still  hard  against  the 
Greeks,  and  if  thou  wilt  not  come  to  their  aid,  let  me  go  into  the 
fight  and  let  me  take  with  me  thy  company  of  Myrmidons. 
And  O  Achilles,  grant  me  another  thing.  Let  me  wear  thine 
armour  and  thy  helmet  so  that  the  Trojans  will  believe  for  a 
while  that  Achilles  has  come  back  into  the  battle.  Then  would 
they  flee  before  me  and  our  warriors  would  be  given  a  breathing- 
time."  ' 

1  Said  Achilles,  "I  have  declared  that  I  shall  not  cease  from  my 
wrath  until  the  Trojans  come  to  my  own  ships.  But  thou, 
Patroklos,  dear  friend,  may'st  go  into  the  battle.     All  thou  hast 


80  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

asked  shall  be  freely  given  to  thee  —  my  Myrmidons  to  lead  and 
my  armour  to  wear,  and  even  my  chariot  and  my  immortal 
horses.  Drive  the  Trojans  from  the  ships.  But  when  thou 
hast  driven  them  from  the  ships,  return  to  this  hut.  Do  not  go 
near  the  City.  Return,  I  bid  thee,  Patroklos,  when  the  Trojans 
are  no  longer  around  the  ships,  and  leave  it  to  others  to  battle 
on  the  plain."  ' 

'  Then  Patroklos  put  on  the  armour  that  Zeus  had  given  to 
Achilles'  father,  Peleus.  Round  his  shoulders  he  cast  the  sword 
of  bronze  with  its  studs  of  silver,  and  upon  his  head  he  put  the 
helmet  with  its  high  horse-hair  crest  —  the  terrible  helmet  of 
Achilles.  Then  Achilles  bade  the  charioteer  yoke  the  horses  to 
the  chariot — the  horses,  Xanthos  and  Balios,  that  were  also  gifts 
from  the  gods.  And  while  all  this  was  being  done  Achilles  went 
amongst  the  Myrmidons,  making  them  ready  for  the  battle  and 
bidding  them  remember  all  the  threats  they  had  uttered  against 
the  Trojans  in  the  time  when  they  had  been  kept  from  the 
fight.' 

'  Then  he  went  back  to  his  hut  and  opening  the  chest  that  his 
mother,  Thetis,  had  given  him  he  took  from  it  a  four-handled 
cup  — ■  a  cup  that  no  one  drank  out  of  but  Achilles  himself.    Then 
pouring  wine  into    this  cup  and  holding  it  towards   Heaven, 
Achilles  prayed  to  Zeus,  the  greatest  of  the  gods  : 
"  My  comrade  I  send  to  the  war,  0  far-seeing  Zeus  : 
May'st  strengthen  his  heart,  O  Zeus,  that  all  triumph  be  his  : 
But  when  from  the  ships  he  hath  driven  the  spear  of  our  foes, 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


81 


Out  of  the  turmoil  of  battle  may  he  to  me  return 
Scathless,  with  arms  and  his  comrades  who  fight  hand  to  hand." 
'  So  Achilles  prayed,  and  the  Myrmidons  beside  their  ships 
shouted  in  their  eagerness  to  join  in  the  battle.' 

XV 

[O  was  the  first  of  the  great  Trojan 
Champions  to  go  down  before  the  onset 
of  Patroklos?  The  first  was  Sarpedon 
who  had  come  with  an  army  to  help 
Hector  from  a  City  beyond  Troy.  He 
saw  the  Myrmidons  fight  round  the  ships 
and  break  the  ranks  of  the  Trojans  and 
quench  the  fire  on  the  half-burnt  ship.  He  saw  that  the  war- 
rior who  had  the  appearance  of  Achilles  affrighted  the  Trojans 
so  that  they  turned  their  horses'  heads  towards  the  City.  The 
Myrmidons  swept  on  with  Patroklos  at  their  head.  Now  when 
he  saw  him  rushing  down  from  the  ships  Sarpedon  threw  a 
dart  at  Patroklos.  The  dart  did  not  strike  him.  Then  Patro- 
klos flung  a  spear  and  struck  Sarpedon  even  at  the  heart.  He 
fell  dead  from  his  chariot  and  there  began  a  battle  for  his  body 
—  the  Trojans  would  have  carried  it  into  the  City,  so  that  they 
might  bury  with  all  honour  the  man  who  had  helped  them,  and 
the  Greeks  would  have  carried  it  away,  so  that,  having  his  body 
and  his  armour,  the  slaying  of  Sarpedon  might  be  more  of  a 
triumph  for  them.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  83 

'  So  a  battle  for  his  body  went  on.  Now  Sarpedon's  comrade, 
Glaukos,  sought  out  Hector,  who  was  fighting  in  another  part  of 
the  battle-field,  and  he  spoke  to  him  reproachfully.  "Hector," 
he  said,  "art  thou  utterly  forgetful  of  those  who  came  from  their 
own  country  to  help  thee  to  protect  thy  father's  City  ?  Sarpedon 
has  fallen,  and  Achilles'  Myrmidons  would  strip  him  of  his  armour 
and  bring  his  body  to  the  ships  that  their  triumph  over  him  may 
be  greater  still.  Disgraceful  will  it  be  to  thee,  Hector,  if  they 
win  that  triumph."  ' 

'  Hector,  when  this  was  said  to  him,  did  not  delay,  but  came 
straight  to  the  spot  where  Sarpedon  had  been  slain.  The  Greek 
who  had  laid  hands  upon  the  body  he  instantly  slew.  But  as  he 
fought  on  it  suddenly  seemed  to  Hector  that  the  gods  had  re- 
solved to  give  victory  to  the  Greeks,  and  his  spirit  grew  weary 
and  hopeless  within  him.  He  turned  his  horses'  heads  towards 
the  City  and  galloped  from  the  press  of  battle.  Then  the  Trojans 
who  were  fighting  round  it  fled  from  the  body  of  Sarpedon,  and 
the  Greeks  took  it  and  stripped  it  of  its  armour  and  carried  the 
body  to  their  ships.' 

'  It  was  then  that  Patroklos  forgot  the  command  of  Achilles  — 
the  command  that  he  was  not  to  bring  the  battle  beyond  the 
ships  and  that  he  was  to  return  when  the  Trojans  were  beaten 
towards  their  City.  Patroklos  forgot  all  that,  and  he  shouted 
to  the  immortal  horses,  Xanthos  and  Balios,  that  drew  his  chariot, 
and,  slaying  warrior  after  warrior  he  swept  across  the  plain  and 
came  to  the  very  gates  of  Troy.' 


84  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

'  Now  Hector  was  within  the  gates  and  had  not  yet  left  his 
chariot.  Then  there  came  and  stood  before  him  one  who  was 
thought  to  be  the  god  Apollo,  but  who  then  had  the  likeness  of 
a  mortal  man.  "Hector,"  said  he,  "why  hast  thou  ceased  from 
the  fight  ?  Behold,  Patroklos  is  without  the  gate  of  thy  father's 
City.  Turn  thy  horses  against  him  now  and  strive  to  slay  him, 
and  may  the  gods  give  thee  glory."  ' 

'  Then  Hector  bade  his  charioteer  drive  his  horses  through  the 
gate  and  into  the  press  of  battle.  He  drew  near  to  Patroklos, 
and  Patroklos,  leaping  down  from  his  chariot,  seized  a  great 
stone  and  flung  it  at  Hector's  charioteer.  It  struck  him  on  the 
brow  and  hurled  him  from  the  chariot.' 

'Hector  too  leaped  from  the  chariot  and  took  his  sword  in 
hand.  Their  men  joined  Patroklos  and  joined  Hector  and  the 
battle  began  beside  the  body  of  Hector's  charioteer.  Three 
times  did  Patroklos  rush  against  the  ranks  of  the  Trojans  and 
nine  warriors  did  he  slay  at  each  onset.  But  the  doom  of  Patro- 
klos was  nigh.  A  warrior  smote  him  in  the  back  and  struck  the 
helmet  from  his  head.  With  its  high  horse-hair  crest  it  rolled 
beneath  the  hooves  of  the  horses.  Who  was  it  smote  Prince 
Patroklos  then?  Men  said  it  was  the  god  Apollo  who  would 
not  have  the  sacred  City  of  Troy  taken  until  the  time  the  gods 
had  willed  it  to  fall.' 

'  The  spear  fell  from  his  hands,  the  great  shield  that  Achilles 
had  given  him  dropped  on  the  ground,  and  all  in  amaze  Patroklos 
stood.     He  gave  ground  and  retreated  towards  his  comrades. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  85 

Then  did  Hector  deal  him  the  stroke  that  slew.     With  his  great 
spear  he  struck  and  drove  it  through  the  body  of  Patroklos.' 

'Then  did  Hector  exult  crying,  "Patroklos,  thou  didst  swear 
that  thou  wouldst  sack  our  sacred  City  and  that  thou  wouldst 
take  from  our  people  their  day  of  freedom.  Now  thou  hast 
fallen  and  our  City  need  not  dread  thee  ever  any  more !  "  ' 

'Then  said  Patroklos,  "Thou  mayst  boast  now,  Hector,  al- 
though it  was  not  thy  stroke  that  slew  me.  Apollo's  stroke  it 
was  that  sent  me  down.  Boast  of  my  slaying  as  thou  wilt,  but 
hear  my  saying  and  keep  it  in  thy  heart :  Thy  fate  too  is  meas- 
ured and  thee  Achilles  will  slay."  ' 

UT  Hector  did  not  heed  what  the  dying 
Patroklos  said.  He  took  from  his  body 
the  armour  of  Achilles  that  had  been  a 
gift  from  the  gods.  The  body  too  he 
would  have  brought  within  the  City  that 
his  triumph  might  be  greater,  but  now 
Aias  came  to  where  Patroklos  had  fallen 
and  over  the  body  he  placed  his  great  shield.  The  fight  went 
on  and  Hector,  withdrawing  himself  to  the  plain,  put  upon 
himself  the  armour  he  had  stripped  off  the  body  of  Patroklos. 
The  armour  fitted  every  limb  and  joint  and  as  he  put  it  on 
more  courage  and  strength  than  ever  yet  he  had  felt  came  into 
the  soul  of  Hector.' 

'And  the  immortal  steeds  that  Patroklos  had  driven,  having 
galloped  from  the  battle,  stood  apart  and  would  not  move  for 


AND   THE  TALE   OF  TROY  87 

all  that  their  charioteer  would  do.  They  stood  apart  with  their 
heads  bowed,  and  tears  flowed  from  their  eyes  down  on  the  ground. 
And  Zeus,  the  greatest  of  the  gods,  saw  them  and  had  pity  upon 
them  and  spoke  to  himself  saying,  "  Ah,  immortal  steeds,  why  did 
I  give  ye  to  king  Peleus,  whose  generations  die  while  ye  remain 
young  and  undying  ?  Was  it  that  ye  should  know  the  sorrows 
that  befall  mortal  men  ?  Pitiful,  indeed,  is  the  lot  of  all  men  upon 
the  earth.  Even  Hector  now,  who  boasteth  in  the  armour  that 
the  gods  once  gave,  will  shortly  go  down  to  his  death  and  the  City 
he  defendeth  will  be  burned  with  fire."  ' 

'  So  saying  he  put  courage  into  the  hearts  of  the  immortal  steeds 
and  they  went  where  the  charioteer  would  have  them  go,  and  they 
came  safely  out  of  the  battle.' 

'  Now  Hector,  with  the  armour  of  Achilles  upon  him,  gathered 
his  companies  together  and  brought  them  up  to  the  battle  to 
win  and  carry  away  the  body  of  Patroklos.  But  each  one  who 
laid  hands  upon  that  body  was  instantly  slain  by  Aias.  All  day 
the  battle  went  on,  for  the  Greeks  would  say  to  each  other,  "  Com- 
rades, let  the  earth  yawn  and  swallow  us  rather  than  let  the 
Trojans  carry  off  the  body  of  Patroklos."  And  on  their  side  the 
Trojans  would  say,  "  Friends,  rather  let  us  all  be  slain  together 
beside  this  man  than  let  one  of  us  go  backward  now."  ' 

1  Now  Nestor's  son,  Antilochos,  who  was  fighting  on  the  left 
of  the  battlefield,  heard  of  the  slaying  of  Patroklos.  His  eyes 
filled  with  tears  and  his  voice  was  choked  with  grief  and  he 
dashed  out  of  the  battle  to  bring  the  grievous  tidings  to  the  hut 


88 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


of  Achilles.  "Fallen  is  Patroklos,"  he  cried,  "and  Greeks  and 
Trojans  are  fighting  around  his  body.  And  his  body  is  naked 
now,  for  Hector  has  stripped  the  armour  from  it."  ' 

HEN  Achilles  fainted  away,  and  his  head 
lay  in  the  ashes  of  his  hut.  He  woke 
again  and  moaned  terribly.  His  goddess- 
mother  heard  the  sound  of  his  grief  as  she 
sat  within  the  depths  of  the  Ocean.  She 
came  to  him  as  he  was  still  moaning  ter- 
ribly. She  took  his  hand  and  clasped  it 
and  said,  "My  child,  why  weep'st  thou?"  Achilles  ceased  his 
moaning  and  answered,  "Patroklos,  my  dear  friend,  has  been 
slain.  Now  I  shall  have  no  joy  in  my  life  save  the  joy  of  slay- 
ing Hector  who  slew  my  friend."  ' 

'  Thetis,  his  goddess-mother,  wept  when  she  heard  such  speech 
from  Achilles.  "Short-lived  you  will  be,  my  son,"  she  said,  "for 
it  is  appointed  by  the  gods  that  after  the  death  of  Hector  your 
death  will  come."  ' 

1  "Straightway  then  let  me  die,"  said  Achilles,  "since  I  let  my 
friend  die  without  giving  him  help.  O  that  I  had  not  let  my 
wrath  overcome  my  spirit !  Here  I  stayed,  a  useless  burthen  on 
the  earth,  while  my  comrades  and  my  own  dear  friend  fought  for 
their  country  — •  here  I  stayed,  I  who  am  the  best  of  all  the 
Greeks.  But  now  let  me  go  into  the  battle  and  let  the  Trojans 
know  that  Achilles  has  come  back,  although  he  tarried  long."  ' 
'"But  thine  armour,  my  son,"  said  Thetis.     "Thou  hast  no 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  89 

armour  now  to  protect  thee  in  the  battle.  Go  not  into  it  until 
thou  seest  me  again.  In  the  morning  I  shall  return  and  I  shall 
bring  thee  armour  that  Hephaistos,  the  smith  of  the  gods,  shall 
make  for  thee."  ' 

'  So  she  spoke,  and  she  turned  from  her  son,  and  she  went  to 
Olympus  where  the  gods  have  their  dwellings.' 

'  Now  darkness  had  come  down  on  those  who  battled  round  the 
body  of  Patroklos,  and  in  that  darkness  more  Greeks  than  Tro- 
jans were  slain.  It  seemed  to  the  Greeks  that  Zeus  had  resolved 
to  give  the  victory  to  the  Trojans  and  not  to  them,  and  they  were 
dismayed.  But  four  Greek  heroes  lifted  up  the  body  and  put  it 
upon  their  shoulders,  and  Aias  and  his  brother  stood  facing  the 
Trojans,  holding  them  back  while  the  four  tried  to  bear  the  body 
away.  The  Trojans  pressed  on,  striking  with  swords  and  axes, 
but  like  a  wooded  ridge  that  stretches  across  a  plain  and  holds 
back  a  mighty  flood,  Aias  and  his  brother  held  their  ground.' 

'  Achilles  still  lay  in  his  hut,  moaning  in  his  grief,  and  the  ser- 
vants raised  loud  lamentations  outside  the  hut.  „The  day  wore 
on  and  the  battle  went  on  and  Hector  strove  against  Aias  and 
his  brother.  Then  the  figure  of  a  goddess  appeared  before 
Achilles  as  he  lay  on  the  ground.  "Rouse  thee,  Achilles,"  she 
said,  "or  Hector  will  drag  into  Troy  the  body  of  thy  friend, 
Patroklos."  ' 

'  Said  Achilles,  "  Goddess  Iris,  how  may  I  go  into  the  battle 
since  the  Trojans  hold  the  armour  that  should  protect  me?"  ' 

'  Said  Iris,  the  Messenger  of  the  gods,  "  Go  down  to  the  wall  as 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  91 

thou  art  and  show  thyself  to  the  men  of  Troy,  and  it  may  be  that 
they  will  shrink  back  on  seeing  thee  and  hearing  thy  voice,  and 
so  give  those  who  defend  the  body  of  Patroklos  a  breathing- 
spell.'" 

'  So  she  said  and  departed.  Then  Achilles  arose  and  went  down 
to  the  wall  that  had  been  built  around  the  ships.  He  stood  upon 
the  wall  and  shouted  across  the  trench,  and  friends  and  foes  saw 
him  and  heard  his  voice.  Around  his  head  a  flame  of  fire  arose 
such  as  was  never  seen  before  around  the  head  of  a  mortal  man. 
And  seeing  the  flame  of  fire  around  his  head  and  hearing  his 
terrible  voice  the  Trojans  were  affrighted  and  stood  still.  Then 
the  Greeks  took  up  the  body  of  Patroklos  and  laid  it  on  a  litter 
and  bore  it  out  of  the  battle.' 


XVI 

OW  Thetis,  the  mother  of  Achilles,  went 
to  Olympus  where  the  gods  have  their 
dwellings  and  to  the  house  of  Hephaistos, 
the  smith  of  the  gods.  That  house  shone 
above  all  the  houses  on  Olympus  because 
Hephaistos  himself  had  made  it  of  shining 
bronze.  And  inside  the  house  there  were 
wonders  —  handmaidens  that  were  not  living  but  that  were 
made  out  of  gold  and  made  with  such  wondrous  skill  that 
they  waited  upon  Hephaistos  and  served  and  helped  him  as 
though  they  were  living  maids.' 


92  THE  ADVENTURES   OF   ODYSSEUS 

'  Hephaistos  was  lame  and  crooked  of  foot  and  went  limping. 
He  and  Thetis  were  friends  from  of  old  time,  for,  when  his  mother 
would  have  forsaken  him  because  of  his  crooked  foot,  Thetis 
and  her  sister  reared  him  within  one  of  the  Ocean's  caves  and  it 
was  while  he  was  with  them  that  he  began  to  work  in  metals. 
So  the  lame  god  was  pleased  to  see  Thetis  in  his  dwelling  and  he 
welcomed  her  and  clasped  her  hand  and  asked  of  her  what  she 
would  have  him  do  for  her.' 

'Then  Thetis,  weeping,  told  him  of  her  son  Achilles,  how  he  had 
lost  his  dear  friend  and  how  he  was  moved  to  go  into  the  battle 
to  fight  with  Hector,  and  how  he  was  without  armour  to  protect 
his  life,  seeing  that  the  armour  that  the  gods  had  once  given  his 
father  was  now  in  the  hands  of  his  foe.  And  Thetis  besought 
Hephaistos  to  make  new  armour  for  her  son  that  he  might  go 
into  the  battle.' 

'  She  no  sooner  finished  speaking  than  Hephaistos  went  to  his 
work-bench  and  set  his  bellows  —  twenty  were  there  —  work- 
ing. And  the  twenty  bellows  blew  into  the  crucibles  and  made 
bright  and  hot  fires.  Then  Hephaistos  threw  into  the  fires 
bronze  and  tin  and  silver  and  gold.  He  set  on  the  anvil-stand 
a  great  anvil,  and  took  in  one  hand  his  hammer  and  in  the  other 
hand  his  tongs.' 

'  For  the  armour  of  Achilles  he  made  first  a  shield  and  then  a 
corselet  that  gleamed  like  fire.  And  he  made  a  strong  helmet  to  go 
on  the  head  and  shining  greaves  to  wear  on  the  ankles.  The 
shield  was  made  with  five  folds,  one  fold  of  metal  upon  the  other, 


94 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


so  that  it  was  so  strong  and  thick  that  no  spear  or  arrow  could 
pierce  it.  And  upon  this  shield  he  hammered  out  images  that 
were  a  wonder  to  men.' 

'  The  first  were  images  of  the  sun  and  the  moon  and  of  the  stars 
that  the  shepherds  and  the  seamen  watch  —  the  Pleiades  and 
Hyads  and  Orion  and  the  Bear  that  is  also  called  the  Wain.  And 
below  he  hammered  out  the  images  of  two  cities :  in  one  there 
were  people  going  to  feasts  and  playing  music  and  dancing  and 
giving  judgements  in  the  market-place :  the  other  was  a  city 
besieged :  there  were  warriors  on  the  walls  and  there  was  an 
army  marching  out  of  the  gate  to  give  battle  to  those  that  be- 
sieged them.  And  below  the  images  of  the  cities  he  made  a 
picture  of  a  ploughed  field,  with  ploughmen  driving  their  yokes  of 
oxen  along  the  furrows,  and  with  men  bringing  them  cups  of  wine. 
And  he  made  a  picture  of  another  field  where  men  were  reaping 
and  boys  were  gathering  the  corn,  where  there  was  a  servant 
beneath  an  oak  tree  making  ready  a  feast,  and  women  making 
ready  barley  for  a  supper  for  the  men  who  were  reaping,  and  a 
King  standing  apart  and  watching  all,  holding  a  staff  in  his 
hands  and  rejoicing  at  all  he  saw.' 

'  And  another  image  he  made  of  a  vineyard,  with  clusters  of 
grapes  that  showed  black,  and  with  the  vines  hanging  from  silver, 
poles.  And  he  showed  maidens  and  youths  in  the  vineyard, 
gathering  the  grapes  into  baskets,  and  one  amongst  them,  a  boy, 
who  played  on  the  viol.  Beside  the  image  of  the  vineyard  he 
made  images  of  cattle,  with  herdsmen,  and  with  nine  dogs  guarding 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


95 


them.  But  he  showed  two  lions  that  had  come  up  and  had  seized 
the  bull  of  the  herd,  and  the  dogs  and  men  strove  to  drive  them 
away  but  were  affrighted.  And  beside  the  image  of  the  oxen 
he  made  the  image  of  a  pasture  land,  with  sheep  in  it,  and  sheep- 
folds  and  roofed  huts.' 

1  He  made  yet  another  picture  —  a  dancing-place  with  youths 
and  maidens  dancing,  their  hands  upon  each  others'  hands. 
Beautiful  dresses  and  wreaths  of  flowers  the  maidens  had  on,  and 
the  youths  had  daggers  of  gold  hanging  from  their  silver  belts. 
A  great  company  stood  around  those  who  were  dancing,  and 
amongst  them  there  was  a  minstrel  who  played  on  the 
lyre.' 

'  Then  all  around  the  rim  of  the  shield  Hephaistos,  the  lame  god, 
set  an  image  of  Ocean,  whose  stream  goes  round  the  world.  Not 
long  was  he  in  making  the  shield  and  the  other  wonderful  pieces 
of  armour.  As  soon  as  the  armour  was  ready  Thetis  put  her 
hands  upon  it,  and  flying  down  from  Olympus  like  a  hawk, 
brought  it  to  the  feet  of  Achilles,  her  son.' 

'  And  Achilles,  when  he  saw  the  splendid  armour  that  Hephaistos 
the  lame  god  had  made  for  him,  rose  up  from  where  he  lay  and 
took  the  wonderfully-wrought  piece  in  his  hands.  And  he  began 
to  put  the  armour  upon  him,  and  none  of  the  Myrmidons  who 
were  around  could  bear  to  look  upon  it,  because  it  shone  with 
such  brightness  and  because  it  had  all  the  marks  of  being  the 
work  of  a  god.' 


96 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


XVII 


HEN  Achilles  put  his  shining  armour  upon 
him  and  it  fitted  him  as  though  it  were 
wings  ;  he  put  the  wonderful  shield  before 
him  and  he  took  in  his  hands  the  great 
spear  that  Cheiron  the  Centaur  had  given 
to  Peleus  his  father  —  that  spear  that  no 
one  else  but  Achilles  could  wield.  He 
bade  his  charioteer  harness  the  immortal  horses  Xanthos  and 
Balios.  Then  as  he  mounted  his  chariot  Achilles  spoke  to  the 
horses.  "Xanthos  and  Balios,"  he  said,  "this  time  bring  the 
hero  that  goes  with  you  back  safely  to  the  ships,  and  do  not 
leave  him  dead  on  the  plain  as  ye  left  the  hero  Patroklos."  ' 

'  Then  Xanthos  the  immortal  steed  spoke,  answering  for  him- 
self and  his  comrade.  "Achilles,"  he  said,  with  his  head  bowed 
and  his  mane  touching  the  ground,  "Achilles,  for  this  time  we 
will  bring  thee  safely  back  from  the  battle.  But  a  day  will  come 
when  we  shall  not  bring  thee  back,  when  thou  too  shalt  lie  with 
the  dead  before  the  walls  of  Troy."  ' 

'  Then  was  Achilles  troubled  and  he  said,  "Xanthos,  my  steed, 
why  dost  thou  remind  me  by  thy  prophecies  of  what  I  know 
already  —  that  my  death  too  is  appointed,  and  that  I  am  to 
perish  here,  far  from  my  father  and  my  mother  and  my  own 
land."  ' 
^  '  Then  he  drove  his  immortal  horses  into  the  battle.     The 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  97 

Trojans  were  affrighted  when  they  saw  Achilles  himself  in  the 
fight,  blazing  in  the  armour  that  Hephaistos  had  made  for  him. 
They  went  backward  before  his  onset.  And  Achilles  shouted 
to  the  captains  of  the  Greeks,  "No  longer  stand  apart  from  the 
men  of  Troy,  but  go  with  me  into  the  battle  and  let  each  man 
throw  his  whole  soul  into  the  fight." ' 

'  And  on  the  Trojan  side  Hector  cried  to  his  captains  and  said, 
"Do  not  let  Achilles  drive  you  before  him.  Even  though  his  hands 
are  as  irresistible  as  fire  and  his  fierceness  as  terrible  as  flashing 
steel,  I  shall  go  against  him  and  face  him  with  my  spear."  ' 

'  But  Achilles  went  on,  and  captain  after  captain  of  the  Trojans 
went  down  before  him.  Now  amongst  the  warriors  whom  he 
caught  sight  of  in  the  fight  was  Polydoros,  the  brother  of  Hector 
and  the  youngest  of  all  King  Priam's  sons.  Priam  forbade  him 
ever  to  go  into  the  battle  because  he  loved  him  as  he  would  love 
a  little  child.  But  Polydoros  had  gone  in  this  day,  trusting 
to  his  fleetness  of  foot  to  escape  with  his  life.  Achilles  saw  him 
and  pursued  him  and  slew  him  with  the  spear.  Hector  saw  the 
death  of  his  brother.  Then  he  could  no  longer  endure  to  stand 
aside  to  order  the  battle.  He  came  straight  up  to  where  Achilles 
was  brandishing  his  great  spear.  And  when  Achilles  saw  Hector 
before  him  he  cried  out,  "Here  is  the  man  who  most  deeply 
wounded  my  soul,  who  slew  my  dear  friend  Patroklos.  Now 
shall  we  two  fight  each  other  and  Patroklos  shall  be  avenged  by 
me."  And  he  shouted  to  Hector,  "Now  Hector,  the  day  of  thy 
triumph  and  the  day  of  thy  life  is  at  its  end."  ' 


98  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

'But  Hector  answered  him  without  fear,  "Not  with  words, 
Achilles,  can  you  affright  me.  Yet  I  know  that  thou  art  a  man 
of  might  and  a  stronger  man  than  I.  But  the  fight  between  us 
depends  upon  the  will  of  the  gods.  I  shall  do  my  best  against 
thee,  and  my  spear  before  this  has  been  found  to  have  a  danger- 
ous edge."  ' 

'  He  spoke  and  lifted  up  his  spear  and  flung  it  at  Achilles.  Then 
the  breath  of  a  god  turned  Hector's  spear  aside,  for  it  was  not 
appointed  that  either  he  or  Achilles  should  be  then  slain.  Achil- 
les darted  at  Hector  to  slay  him  with  his  spear.  But  a  god  hid 
Hector  from  Achilles  in  a  thick  mist.' 

'  Then  in  a  rage  Achilles  drove  his  chariot  into  the  ranks  of  the 
war  and  many  great  captains  he  slew.  He  came  to  Skamandros, 
the  river  that  flows  across  the  plain  before  the  city  of  Troy.  And 
so  many  men  did  he  slay  in  it  that  the  river  rose  in  anger  against 
him  for  choking  its  waters  with  the  bodies  of  men.' 

'  Then  on  towards  the  City,  he  went  like  a  fire  raging  through 
a  glen  that  had  been  parched  with  heat.  Now  on  a  tower  of  the 
walls  of  Troy,  Priam  the  old  King  stood,  and  he  saw  the  Trojans 
coming  in  a  rout  towards  the  City,  and  he  saw  Achilles  in  his 
armour  blazing  like  a  star  —  like  that  star  that  is  seen  at  harvest 
time  and  is  called  Orion's  Dog;  the  star  that  is  the  brightest  of 
all  stars,  but  yet  is  a  sign  of  evil.  And  the  old  man  Priam  sorrowed 
greatly  as  he  stood  upon  the  tower  and  watched  Achilles,  because 
he  knew  in  his  heart  whom  this  man  would  slay — Hector,  his  son, 
the  protector  of  his  City.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  99 

XVIII 


s 


O  much  of  the  story  of  Achilles  did  Tele- 
machus,  the  son  of  Odysseus,  hear  from 
the  lips  of  King  Menelaus  as  he  sat  with 
his  comrade  Peisistratus  in  the  King's 
f easting-hall.  And  more  would  Menelaus 
have  told  them  then  if  Helen,  his  wife, 
had  not  been  seen  to  weep.  'Why  weepst 
thou,  Helen?'  said  Menelaus.  'Ah,  surely  I  know.  It  is  be- 
cause the  words  that  tell  of  the  death  of  Hector  are  sorrowful 
to  thee.' 

And  Helen,  the  lovely  lady,  said  'Never  did  Prince  Hector 
speak  a  hard  or  a  harsh  word  to  me  in  all  the  years  I  was  in  his 
father's  house.  And  if  anyone  upbraided  me  he  would  come  and 
speak  gentle  words  to  me.  Ah,  greatly  did  I  lament  for  the 
death  of  noble  Hector !  After  his  wife  and  his  mother  I  wept 
the  most  for  him.  And  when  one  speaks  of  his  slaying  I  can- 
not help  but  weep.' 

Said  Menelaus,  'Relieve  your  heart  of  its  sorrow,  Helen,  by 
praising  Hector  to  this  youth  and  by  telling  your  memories  of 
him.' 

'To-morrow  I  shall  do  so,'  said  the  lady  Helen.     She  went 
with  her  maids  from  the  hall  and  the  servants  took  Telemachus 
and  Peisistratus  to  their  sleeping  places. 
The  next  day  they  sat  in  the  banqueting  hall ;   King  Mene- 


ioo  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

laus  and  Telemachus  and  Peisistratus,  and  the  lady  Helen  came 
amongst  them.  Her  handmaidens  brought  into  the  hall  her  sil- 
ver work-basket  that  had  wheels  beneath  it  with  rims  of  gold,  and 
her  golden  distaff  that,  with  the  basket,  had  been  presents  from 
the  wife  of  the  King  of  Egypt.  And  Helen  sat  in  her  chair  and 
took  the  distaff  in  her  hands  and  worked  on  the  violet-coloured 
wool  that  was  in  her  basket.  And  as  she  worked  she  told  Tele- 
machus of  Troy  and  of  its  guardian,  Hector. 

AID  Helen, '  The  old  men  were  at  the  gate 
of  the  City  talking  over  many  things,  and 
King  Priam  was  amongst  them.  It  was 
in  the  days  when  Achilles  first  quarrelled 
with  King  Agamemnon.  ''Come  hither, 
my  daughter,"  said  King  Priam  to  me, 
"and  sit  by  me  and  tell  me  who  the  war- 
riors are  who  now  come  out  upon  the  plain.  You  have  seen 
them  all  before,  and  I  would  have  you  tell  me  who  such  and  such 
a  one  is.  Who  is  yon  hero  who  seems  so  mighty  ?  I  have  seen 
men  who  were  more  tall  than  he  by  a  head,  but  I  have  never 
seen  a  man  who  looked  more  royal."  ' 

'  I  said  to  King  Priam.  "  The  hero  whom  you  look  upon  is  the 
leader  of  the  host  of  the  Greeks.  He  is  the  renowned  King 
Agamemnon."  ' 

'  "  He  looks  indeed  a  King,"  said  Priam.  "Tell  me  now  who  the 
other  warrior  is  who  is  shorter  by  a  head  than  King  Agamemnon, 
but  who  is  broader  of  chest  and  shoulder."  ' 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  101 

'  "  He  is  Odysseus,"  I  said,  "  who  was  reared  in  rugged  Ithaka, 
but  who  is  wise  above  all  the  Kings."  ' 

'And  an  old  man,  Antenor,  who  was  by  us  said,  "That  indeed 
is  Odysseus.  I  remember  that  he  and  Menelaus  came  on  an 
embassy  to  the  assembly  of  the  Trojans.  When  they  both 
stood  up,  Menelaus  seemed  the  greater  man,  but  when  they 
sat  down  Odysseus  seemed  by  far  the  most  stately.  When 
they  spoke  in  the  assembly,  Menelaus  was  ready  and  skilful  of 
speech.  Odysseus  when  he  spoke  held  his  staff  stiffly  in  his 
hands  and  fixed  his  eyes  on  the  ground.  We  thought  by  the 
look  of  him  then  that  he  was  a  man  of  no  understanding.  But 
when  he  began  to  speak  we  saw  that  no  one  could  match  Odys- 
seus — ■  his  words  came  like  snow-flakes  in  winter  and  his  voice 
was  very  resonant."  ' 

'And  Priam  said,  "Who  is  that  huge  warrior?  I  think  he  is 
taller  and  broader  than  any  of  the  rest."  ' 

'"Heis great  Aias,"  I  said,  "who  is  as  a  bulwarkfor  the  Greeks. 
And  beside  him  stands  Idomeneus,  who  has  come  from  the  Island 
of  Crete.  Around  him  stand  the  Cretan  captains."  So  I  spoke, 
but  my  heart  was  searching  for  a  sight  of  my  own  two  brothers. 
I  did  not  see  them  in  any  of  the  companies.  Had  they  come 
with  the  host,  I  wondered,  and  were  they  ashamed  to  be  seen 
with  the  warriors  on  account  of  my  wrong-doing?  I  wondered 
as  I  looked  for  them.  Ah,  I  did  not  know  that  even  then  my  two 
dear  brothers  were  dead,  and  that  the  earth  of  their  own  dear 
land  held  them.' 


io2  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

'  Hector  came  to  the  gate  and  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the 
Trojans  came  running  to  him,  asking  for  news  of  their  husbands 
or  sons  or  brothers,  whether  they  were  killed  or  whether  they 
were  coming  back  from  the  battle.  .He  spoke  to  them  all  and 
went  to  his  own  house.  But  Andromache,  his  wife,  was  not 
there,  and  the  housedame  told  him  that  she  had  gone  to  the 
great  tower  by  the  wall  of  the  City  to  watch  the  battle  and  that 
the  nurse  had  gone  with  her,  bringing  their  infant  child. 

'  So  Hector  went  down  the  street  and  came  to  the  gate  where 
we  were,  and  Andromache  his  wife  came  to  meet  him.  With  her 
was  the  nurse  who  carried  the  little  child  that  the  folk  of  the  city 
named  Astyanax,  calling  him,  'King  of  the  City'  because  his 
father  was  their  city's  protector.  Hector  stretched  out  his  arms 
to  the  little  boy  whom  the  nurse  carried.  But  the  child  shrank 
away  from  him,  because  he  was  frightened  of  the  great  helmet 
on  his  father's  head  with  its  horse-hair  crest.  Then  Hector 
laughed  and  Andromache  laughed  with  him,  and  Hector  took  off 
his  great  helmet  and  laid  it  on  the  ground.  Then  he  took  up  his 
little  son  and  dandled  him  in  his  arms,  and  prayed,  "O  Zeus, 
greatest  of  the  gods,  grant  that  this  son  of  mine  may  become 
valiant,  and  that,  like  me,  he  may  be  protector  of  the  City  and 
thereafter  a  great  King,  so  that  men  may  say  of  him  as  he  returns 
from  battle,  'Far  greater  is  he  than  was  Hector  his  father.'" 
Saying  this  he  left  the  child  back  in  his  nurse's  arms.  And  to 
Andromache,  his  wife,  who  that  day  was  very  fearful,  he  said 
"Dear  one,  do  not  be  over  sorrowful.     You  urge  me  not  to  go 


f 

/ervaay 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


every  day  into  the  battle,  but  some  days  to  stay  behind  the  walls. 
But  my  own  spirit  forbids  me  to  stay  away  from  battle,  for 
always  I  have  taught  myself  to  be  valiant  and  to  fight  in  the 
forefront." ' 

'  So  he  said  and  he  put  on  his  helmet  again  and  went  to  order 
his  men.  And  his  wife  went  towards  the  house,  looking  back  at 
him  often  and  letting  her  tears  fall  down.  Thou  knowst  from 
Menelaus'  story  what  triumphs  Hector  had  thereafter  —  how 
he  drove  the  Greeks  back  to  their  ships  and  affrighted  them  with 
his  thousand  watch-fires  upon  the  plain ;  how  he  drove  back  the 
host  that  Agamemnon  led  when  Diomedes  and  Odysseus  and 
Machaon  the  healer  were  wounded ;  how  he  broke  through  the 
wall  that  the  Greeks  had  builded  and  brought  fire  to  their  ships, 
and  how  he  slew  Patroklos  in  the  armour  of  Achilles.' 


XIX 

ING  PRIAM  on  his  tower  saw  Achilles 
come  raging  across  the  plain  and  he  cried 
out  to  Hector,  "Hector,  beloved  son,  do 
not  await  this  man's  onset  but  come 
within  the  City's  walls.  Come  within 
that  thou  mayst  live  and  be  a  protection 
to   the  men  and  women  of   Troy.     And 

come  within  that  thou  mayst  save  thy  father  who  must  perish 

if  thou  art  slain."  ' 

'But  Hector  would  not  come  within  the  walls  of  the  City.     He 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  105 

stood  holding  his  shield  against  a  jutting  tower  in  the  wall.  And 
all  around  him  were  the  Trojans,  who  came  pouring  in  through 
the  gate  without  waiting  to  speak  to  each  other  to  ask  who  were 
yet  living  and  who  were  slain.  And  as  he  stood  there  he  was  say- 
ing in  his  heart,  "The  fault  is  mine  that  the  Trojans  have  been 
defeated  upon  the  plain.  I  kept  them  from  entering  the  City 
last  night  against  the  counsel  of  a  wise  man,  for  in  my  pride  I 
thought  it  would  be  easy  to  drive  Achilles  and  the  Greeks  back 
again  and  defeat  them  utterly  and  destroy  their  hopes  of  return. 
Now  are  the  Trojans  defeated  and  dishonoured  and  many  have 
lost  their  lives  through  my  pride.  Now  the  women  of  Troy  will 
say,  'Hector,  by  trusting  to  his  own  might,  has  brought  destruc- 
tion upon  the  whole  host  and  our  husbands  and  sons  and  brothers 
have  perished  because  of  him.'  Rather  than  hear  them  say  this 
I  shall  face  Achilles  and  slay  him  and  save  the  City,  or,  if  it  must 
be,  perish  by  his  spear."  ' 

'  When  Achilles  came  near  him  Hector  spoke  to  him  and  said 
"My  heart  bids  me  stand  against  thee  although  thou  art  a 
mightier  man  than  I.  But  before  we  go  into  battle  let  us  take 
pledges,  one  from  the  other,  with  the  gods  to  witness,  that,  if  I 
should  slay  thee,  I  shall  strip  thee  of  thine  armour  but  I  shall  not 
carry  thy  body  into  the  City  but  shall  give  it  to  thine  own  friends 
to  treat  with  all  honour,  and  that,  if  thou  should  slay  me,  thou 
shalt  give  my  body  to  my  friends."  ' 

'But  Achilles  said,  "Between  me  and  thee  there  can  be  no 
pledges.     Fight,  and  fight  with  all  thy  soldiership,  for  now  I  shall 


106  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

strive  to  make  thee  pay  for  all  the  sorrow  thou  hast  brought  to 
me  because  of  the  slaying  of  Patroklos,  my  friend."  ' 

'  He  spoke  and  raised  his  spear  and  flung  it.  But  with  his 
quickness  Hector  avoided  Achilles'  spear.  And  he  raised  his 
own,  saying,  "Thou  hast  missed  me,  and  not  yet  is  the  hour  of 
my  doom.     Now  it  is  thy  turn  to  stand  before  my  spear."  ' 

'He  flung  it,  but  the  wonderful  shield  of  Achilles  turned  Hector's 
spear  and  it  fell  on  the  ground.  Then  was  Hector  downcast,  for 
he  had  no  other  spear.  He  drew  his  sword  and  sprang  at  Achilles. 
But  the  helmet  and  shield  of  Achilles  let  none  of  Hector's  great 
strokes  touch  his  body.  And  Achilles  got  back  into  his  hands 
his  own  great  spear,  and  he  stood  guarding  himself  with  his  shield 
and  watching  Hector  for  a  spot  to  strike  him  on.  Now  in  the 
armour  that  Hector  wore  —  the  armour  that  he  had  stripped  off 
Patroklos  — ■  there  was  a  point  at  the  neck  where  there  was  an 
opening.  As  Hector  came  on  Achilles  drove  at  his  neck  with  his 
spear  and  struck  him  and  Hector  fell  in  the  dust.' 

'  Then  Achilles  stripped  from  him  the  armour  that  Patroklos 
had  worn.  The  other  captains  of  the  Greeks  came  up  and  looked 
at  Hector  where  he  lay  and  all  marvelled  at  his  size  and  strength 
and  goodliness.  And  Achilles  dragged  the  body  at  his  chariot 
and  drove  away  towards  the  ships.' 

'  Hector's  mother,  standing  on  the  tower  on  the  wall,  saw  all  that 
was  done  and  she  broke  into  a  great  cry.  And  all  the  women  of 
Troy  took  up  the  cry  and  wailed  for  Prince  Hector  who  had 
guarded  them  and  theirs  from  the  foe.     Andromache,  his  wife, 


§5 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  107 

did  not  know  the  terrible  thing  that  had  happened.  She  was 
in  an  inner  chamber  of  Hector's  house,  weaving  a  great  web  of 
cloth  and  broidering  it  with  flowers,  and  she  had  ordered  her 
handmaidens  to  heat  water  for  the  bath,  so  that  Hector  might 
refresh  himself  when  he  came  in  from  the  fight.  But  now 
she  heard  the  wail  of  the  women  of  Troy.  Fear  came  upon 
her,  for  she  knew  that  such  wailing  was  for  the  best  of  their 
warriors.' 

'  She  ran  from  her  chamber  and  out  into  the  street  and  came 
to  the  battlements  where  the  people  stood  watching.  She  saw 
the  chariot  of  Achilles  dashing  off  towards  the  ships  and  she 
knew  that  it  dragged  the  dead  body  of  Hector.  Then  darkness 
came  before  her  eyes  and  she  fainted  away.  Her  husband's 
sisters  and  his  brothers'  wives  thronged  round  her  and  lifted  her 
up.  And  at  last  her  life  came  back  to  her  and  she  wailed  for 
Hector,  "O  my  husband,"  she  cried,  "for  misery  were  we  two 
born !  Now  thou  hast  been  slain  by  Achilles  and  I  am  left 
husbandless  !  And  ah,  woe  for  our  young  child  !  Hard-hearted 
strangers  shall  oppress  him  when  he  lives  amongst  people  that 
care  not  for  him  or  his.  And  he  will  come  weeping  to  me, 
his  widowed  mother,  who  will  live  forever  sorrowful  think- 
ing upon  where  thou  liest,  Hector,  by  the  ships  of  those  who 
slew  thee."  ' 

'So  Andromache  spoke  and  all  the  women  of  Troy  joined 
in  her  grief  and  wept  for  great  Hector  who  had  protected  their 
city.' 


io8 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


XX 


OW  that  Hector  was  dead,  King  Priam,  his 
father,  had  only  one  thought  in  his  mind, 
and  that  was  to  get  his  body  from  Achil- 
les and  bring  it  into  the  City  so  that  it 
might  be  treated  with  the  honour  befit- 
ting the  man  who  had  been  the  guardian 
of  Troy.  And  while  he  sat  in  his  grief, 
thinking  of  his  noble  son  lying  so  far  from  those  who  would 
have  wept  over  him,  behold !  there  appeared  before  him  Iris, 
the  messenger  of  Zeus,  the  greatest  of  the  Gods.  Iris  said  to 
him,  "King,  thou  mayst  ransom  from  Achilles  the  body  of 
Hector,  thy  noble  son.  Go  thou  thyself  to  the  hut  of  Achilles 
and  bring  with  thee  great  gifts  to  offer  him.  Take  with  thee  a 
wagon  that  thou  mayst  bring  back  in  it  the  body,  and  let  only 
one  old  henchman  go  with  thee  to  drive  the  mules."  ' 

'  Then  Priam,  when  he  heard  this,  arose  and  went  into  his  treas- 
ure chamber  and  took  out  of  his  chests  twelve  beautiful  robes; 
twelve  bright-coloured  cloaks ;  twelve  soft  coverlets  and  ten 
talents  of  gold  ;  he  took,  too,  four  cauldrons  and  two  tripods  and 
a  wonderful  goblet  that  the  men  of  Thrace  had  given  him 
when  they  had  come  on  an  embassy  to  his  city.  Then  he 
called  upon  his  sons  and  he  bade  them  make  ready  the  wagon 
and  load  it  with  the  treasures  he  had  brought  out  of  his  treasure- 
chamber.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  109 

1  When  the  wagon  was  loaded  and  the  mules  were  yoked  under 
it,  and  when  Priam  and  his  henchman  had  mounted  the  seats, 
Hekabe,  the  queen,  Priam's  wife  and  the  mother  of  Hector,  came 
with  wine  and  with  a  golden  cup  that  they  might  pour  out  an 
offering  to  the  gods  before  they  went  on  their  journey ;  that  they 
might  know  whether  the  gods  indeed  favoured  it,  or  whether 
Priam  himself  was  not  going  into  danger.  King  Priam  took  the 
cup  from  his  wife  and  he  poured  out  wine  from  it,  and  looking 
towards  heaven  he  prayed,  "O  Father  Zeus,  grant  that  I  may 
find  welcome  under  Achilles'  roof,  and  send,  if  thou  wilt,  a  bird  of 
omen,  so  that  seeing  it  with  mine  own  eyes  I  may  go  on  my  way 
trusting  that  no  harm  will  befall  me."  ' 

'  He  prayed,  and  straightway  a  great  eagle  was  seen  with  wide 
wings  spread  out  above  the  City,  and  when  they  saw  the  eagle, 
the  hearts  of  the  people  were  glad  for  they  knew  that  their  King 
would  come  back  safely  and  with  the  body  of  Prince  Hector  who 
had  guarded  Troy.' 

'  Now  Priam  and  his  henchman  drove  across  the  plain  of  Troy 
and  came  to  the  river  that  flowed  across  and  there  they  let  their 
mules  drink.  They  were  greatly  troubled,  for  dark  night  was 
coming  down  and  they  knew  not  the  way  to  the  hut  of  Achilles. 
They  were  in  fear  too  that  some  company  of  armed  men  would 
come  upon  them  and  slay  them  for  the  sake  of  the  treasures  they 
had  in  the  wagon.' 

'  The  henchman  saw  a  young  man  coming  towards  them.  And 
when  he  reached  them  he  spoke  to  them  kindly  and  offered  to 


no  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

guide  them  through  the  camp  and  to  the  hut  of  Achilles.  He 
mounted  the  wagon  and  took  the  reins  in  his  hands  and  drove 
the  mules.  He  brought  them  to  the  hut  of  Achilles  and  helped 
Priam  from  the  wagon  and  carried  the  gifts  they  had  brought 
within  the  hut.  "Know,  King  Priam,"  he  said,  "that  I  am  not 
a  mortal,  but  that  I  am  one  sent  by  Zeus  to  help  and  companion 
thee  upon  the  way.  Go  now  within  the  hut  and  speak  to  Achilles 
and  ask  him,  for  his  father's  sake,  to  restore  to  thee  the  body  of 
Hector,  thy  son."  ' 

'  So  he  spoke  and  departed  and  King  Priam  went  within  the 
hut.  There  great  Achilles  was  sitting  and  King  Priam  went  to 
him  and  knelt  before  him  and  clasped  the  hands  of  the  man  who 
had  slain  his  son.  And  Achilles  wondered  when  he  saw  him 
there,  for  he  did  not  know  how  one  could  have  come  to  his  hut 
and  entered  it  without  being  seen.  He  knew  then  that  it  was 
one  of  the  gods  who  had  guided  this  man.  Priam  spoke  to  him 
and  said,  "Bethink  thee,  Achilles  upon  thine  own  father.  He 
is  now  of  an  age  with  me,  and  perhaps  even  now,  in  thy  far- 
away country,  there  are  those  who  make  him  suffer  pain  and 
misery.  But  however  great  the  pain  and  misery  he  may  suffer 
he  is  happy  compared  to  me,  for  he  knows  that  thou,  his  son,  art 
still  alive.  But  I  no  longer  have  him  who  was  the  best  of  my 
sons.  Now  for  thy  father's  sake  have  I  come  to  thee,  Achilles, 
to  ask  for  the  body  of  Hector,  my  son.  I  am  more  pitiable  than 
thy  father  or  than  any  man,  for  I  have  come  through  dangers  to 
take  in  my  hands  the  hands  that  slew  my  son."  ' 


ii2  THE   ADVENTURES  OF   ODYSSEUS 

'  Achilles  remembered  his  father  and  felt  sorrow  for  the  old  man 
who  knelt  before  him.  He  took  King  Priam  by  the  hand  and 
raised  him  up  and  seated  him  on  the  bench  beside  him.  And  he 
wept,  remembering  old  Peleus,  his  father.' 

'He  called  his  handmaids  and  he  bade  them  take  the  body  of 
Hector  and  wash  it  and  wrap  it  in  two  of  the  robes  that  Priam 
had  brought.  When  they  had  done  all  this  he  took  up  the  body 
of  Hector  and  laid  it  himself  upon  the  wagon.' 

'Then  he  came  and  said  to  King  Priam,  "Thy  son  is  laid  upon 
a  bier,  and  at  the  break  of  day  thou  mayst  bring  him  back  to  the 
City.     But  now  eat  and  rest  here  for  this  night."  ' 

'  King  Priam  ate,  and  he  looked  at  Achilles  and  he  saw  how  great 
and  how  goodly  he  was.  And  Achilles  looked  at  Priam  and  he 
saw  how  noble  and  how  kingly  he  looked.  And  this  was  the  first 
time  that  Achilles  and  Priam  the  King  of  Troy  really  saw  each 
other.' 

'  When  they  gazed  on  each  other  King  Priam  said,  "When  thou 
goest  to  lie  down,  lord  Achilles,  permit  me  to  lie  down  also.  Not 
once  have  my  eyelids  closed  in  sleep  since  my  son  Hector  lost 
his  life.  And  now  I  have  tasted  bread  and  meat  and  wine  for 
the  first  time  since,  and  I  could  sleep."  ' 

'Achilles  ordered  that  a  bed  be  made  in  the  portico  for  King 
Priam  and  his  henchman,  but  before  they  went  Achilles  said : 
"Tell  me,  King,  and  tell  me  truly,  for  how  many  days  dost  thou 
desire  to  make  a  funeral  for  Hector?  For  so  many  days  space 
I  will  keep  back  the  battle  from  the  City  so  that  thou  mayst 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  113 

make  the  funeral  in  peace."  "For  nine  days  we  would  watch 
beside  Hector's  body  and  lament  for  him ;  on  the  tenth  day  we 
would  have  the  funeral ;  on  the  eleventh  day  we  would  make  the 
barrow  over  him,  and  on  the  twelfth  day  we  would  fight,"  King 
Priam  said.  "Even  for  twelve  days  I  will  hold  the  battle  back 
from  the  City,"  said  Achilles.' 

'Then  Priam  and  his  henchman  went  to  rest.  But  in  the 
middle  of  the  night  the  young  man  who  had  guided  him  to  the 
hut  of  Achilles  — -  the  god  Hermes  he  was  —  appeared  before  his 
bed  and  bade  him  arise  and  go  to  the  wagon  and  yoke  the  mules 
and  drive  back  to  the  City  with  the  body  of  Hector.  Priam 
aroused  his  henchman  and  they  went  out  and  yoked  the  mules 
and  mounted  the  wagon,  and  with  Hermes  to  guide  them  they 
drove  back  to  the  City.' 

'And  Achilles  on  his  bed  thought  of  his  own  fate — how  he 
too  would  die  in  battle,  and  how  for  him  there  would  be  no  father 
to  make  lament.  But  he  would  be  laid  where  he  had  asked  his 
friends  to  lay  him  —  beside  Patroklos  —  and  over  them  both  the 
Greeks  would  raise  a  barrow  that  would  be  wondered  at  in  after 
times.' 

'  So  Achilles  thought.  And  afterwards  the  arrow  fired  by  Paris 
struck  him  as  he  fought  before  the  gate  of  the  City,  and  he  was 
slain  even  on  the  place  where  he  slew  Hector.  But  the  Greeks 
carried  off  his  body  and  his  armour  and  brought  them  back 
to  the  ships.  And  Achilles  was  lamented  over,  though  not  by  old 
Peleus,  his  father.     From  the  depths  of  the  sea  came  Thetis,  his 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


US 


goddess-mother,  and  with  her  came  the  Maidens  of  the  Sea. 
They  covered  the  body  of  Achilles  with  wonderful  raiment 
and  over  it  they  lamented  for  seventeen  days  and  seventeen 
nights.  On  the  eighteenth  day  he  was  laid  in  the  grave  beside 
Patroklos,  his  dear  friend,  and  over  them  both  the  Greeks  raised 
a  barrow  that  was  wondered  at  in  the  after- times.' 


XXI 

"l]OW  Hector's  sister  was  the  first  to  see  her 
father  coming  in  the  dawn  across  the 
plain  of  Troy  with  the  wagon  upon  which 
his  body  was  laid.  She  came  down  to 
the  City  and  she  cried  through  the  streets, 
"O  men  and  women  of  Troy,  ye  who 
often  went  to  the  gates  to  meet  Hector 
coming  back  with  victory,  come  now  to  the  gates  to  receive 
Hector  dead."  ' 

'  Then  every  man  and  woman  in  the  City  took  themselves  out- 
side the  gate.  And  they  brought  in  the  wagon  upon  which 
Hector  was  laid,  and  all  day  from  the  early  dawn  to  the  going 
down  of  the  sun  they  wailed  for  him  who  had  been  the  guardian 
of  their  city.' 

'  His  father  took  the  body  to  the  house  where  Hector  had  lived 
and  he  laid  it  upon  his  bed.  Then  Hector's  wife,  Andromache, 
went  to  the  bed  and  cried  over  the  body.  "Husband,"  she  cried, 
"thou  art  gone  from  life,  and  thou  hast  left  me  a  widow  in  thy 


n6  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

house.  Our  child  is  yet  little,  and  he  shall  not  grow  to  manhood 
in  the  halls  that  were  thine,  for  long  before  that  the  City  will  be 
taken  and  destroyed.  Ah,  how  can  it  stand,  when  thou,  who  wert 
its  best  guardian,  hast  perished  ?  The  folk  lament  thee,  Hector ; 
but  for  me  and  for  thy  little  son,  doomed  to  grow  up  amongst 
strangers  and  men  unfriendly  to  him,  the  pain  for  thy  death  will 
ever  abide."  ' 

'And  Hekabe,  Hector's  mother,  went  to  the  bed  and  cried 
"Of  all  my  children  thou,  Hector,  wert  the  dearest.  Thou  wert 
slain  because  it  was  not  thy  way  to  play  the  coward ;  ever  wert 
thou  championing  the  men  and  women  of  Troy  without  thought 
of  taking  shelter  or  flight.  And  for  that  thou  wert  slain,  my 
son."  ' 

'And  I,  Helen,  went  to  the  bed  too,  to  lament  for  noble  Hector. 
"Of  all  the  friends  I  had  in  Troy,  thou  wert  the  dearest,  Hector," 
I  cried.  "Never  did  I  hear  one  harsh  word  from  thee  to  me  who 
brought  wars  and  troubles  to  thy  City.  In  every  way  thou  wert 
as  a  brother  to  me.  Therefore  I  bewail  thee  with  pain  at  my 
heart,  for  in  all  Troy  there  is  no  one  now  who  is  friendly 
to  me."  ' 

'Then  did  the  King  and  the  folk  of  the  City  prepare  for 
Hector's  funeral.  On  the  tenth  day,  weeping  most  bitter  tears 
they  bore  brave  Hector  away.  And  they  made  a  grave  for  him, 
and  over  the  grave  they  put  close-set  stones,  and  over  it  all  they 
raised  a  great  barrow.  On  the  eleventh  day  they  feasted  at  King 
Priam's  house,  and  on  the  twelfth  day  the  battle  began  anew.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


117 


XXII 


OR  many  days  Telemachus  and  his  com- 
rade Peisistratus  stayed  in  the  house  of 
King  Menelaus.  On  the  evening  before 
he  departed  Menelaus  spoke  to  him  of 
the  famous  deeds  of  his  father,  Odysseus. 
'Now  Achilles  was  dead/  said  Mene- 
aus,  'and  his  glorious  armour  was  offered 
as  a  prize  for  the  warrior  whom  the  Greeks  thought  the  most 
of.  Two  men  strove  for  the  prize  —  Odysseus  and  his  friend 
Aias.  To  Odysseus  the  armour  of  Achilles  was  given,  but  he 
was  in  no  way  glad  of  the  prize,  for  his  getting  it  had  wounded 
the  proud  spirit  of  great  Aias.' 

'  It  was  fitting  that  Odysseus  should  have  been  given  Achilles' 
armour,  for  no  warrior  in  the  host  had  done  better  than  he.  But 
Odysseus  was  to  do  still  greater  things  for  us.  He  knew  that 
only  one  man  could  wield  a  bow  better  than  Paris,  —  Paris  who  had 
shot  with  an  arrow  Achilles,  and  who  after  that  had  slain  many  of 
our  chiefs.  That  man  was  Philoctetes.  He  had  come  with  Aga- 
memnon's host  to  Troy.  But  Philoctetes  had  been  bitten  by 
a  water-snake,  and  the  wound  given  him  was  so  terrible  that  none 
of  our  warriors  could  bear  to  be  near  him.  He  was  left  on  the 
Island  of  Lemnos  and  the  host  lost  memory  of  him.  But  Odys- 
seus remembered,  and  he  took  ship  to  Lemnos  and  brought 
Philoctetes  back.     With  his  great  bow  and  with  the  arrows  of 


n8  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

Hercules  that  were  his,  Philoctetes  shot  at  Paris  upon  the  wall 
of  Troy  and  slew  him  with  an  arrow.' 

'And  then  Odysseus  devised  the  means  by  which  we  took 
Priam's  city  at  last.  He  made  us  build  a  great  Wooden  Horse. 
We  built  it  and  left  it  upon  the  plain  of  Troy  and  the  Trojans 
wondered  at  it  greatly.  And  Odysseus  had  counselled  us  to 
bring  our  ships  down  to  the  water  and  to  burn  our  stores  and 
make  it  seem  in  every  way  that  we  were  going  to  depart  from 
Troy  in  weariness.  This  we  did,  and  the  Trojans  saw  the  great 
host  sail  away  from  before  their  City.  But  they  did  not  know 
that  a  company  of  the  best  of  our  warriors  was  within  the  hollow 
of  the  Wooden  Horse,  nor  did  they  know  that  we  had  left  a 
spy  behind  to  make  a  signal  for  our  return.' 

'The  Trojans  wondered  why  the  great  Wooden  Horse  had  been 
left  behind.  And  there  were  some  who  considered  that  it  had 
been  left  there  as  an  offering  to  the  goddess,  Pallas  Athene,  and 
they  thought  it  should  be  brought  within  the  city.  Others  were 
wiser  and  would  have  left  the  Wooden  Horse  alone.  But  those 
who  considered  that  it  should  be  brought  within  prevailed  ;  and, 
as  the  Horse  was  too  great  to  bring  through  the  gate,  they  flung 
down  part  of  the  wall  that  they  might  bring  it  through.  The 
Wooden  Horse  was  brought  within  the  walls  and  left  upon  the 
streets  of  the  city  and  the  darkness  of  the  night  fell.' 

1  Now  Helen,  my  wife,  came  down  to  where  the  Wooden  Horse 
was,  and  she,  suspecting  there  were  armed  men  within,  walked 
around  it  three  times,  calling  to  every  captain  of  the  Greeks  who 


120  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

might  Be  within  in  his  own  wife's  voice.  And  when  the  sound 
of  a  voice  that  had  not  been  heard  for  so  many  years  came  to 
him  each  of  the  captains  started  up  to  answer.  But  Odysseus 
put  his  hands  across  the  mouth  of  each  and  so  prevented  them 
from  being  discovered.' 

'We  had  left  a  spy  hidden  between  the  beach  and  the  city. 
Now  when  the  Wooden  Horse  had  been  brought  within  the  walls 
and  night  had  fallen,  the  spy  lighted  a  great  fire  that  was  signal 
to  the  ships  that  had  sailed  away.  They  returned  with  the  host 
before  the  day  broke.  Then  we  who  were  within  the  Wooden 
Horse  broke  through  the  boards  and  came  out  on  the  City  with 
our  spears  and  swords  in  our  hands.  The  guards  beside  the  gates 
we  slew  and  we  made  a  citadel  of  the  Wooden  Horse  and  fought 
around  it.  The  warriors  from  the  ships  crossed  the  wall  where 
it  was  broken  down,  and  we  swept  through  the  streets  and  came 
to  the  citadel  of  the  King.  Thus  we  took  Priam's  City  and  all 
its  treasures,  and  thus  I  won  back  my  own  wife,  the  lovely  Helen.' 

'But  after  we  had  taken  and  sacked  King  Priam's  City,  great, 
troubles  came  upon  us.  Some  of  us  sailed  away,  and  some  of  us 
remained  on  the  shore  at  the  bidding  of  King  Agamemnon,  to 
make  sacrifice  to  the  gods.  We  separated,  and  the  doom  of 
death  came  to  many  of  us.  Nestor  I  saw  at  Lesbos,  but  none 
other  of  our  friends  have  I  ever  since  seen.  Agamemnon,  my  own 
brother,  came  to  his  own  land.  But  ah,  it  would  have  been  happier 
for  him  if  he  had  died  on  the  plain  of  Troy,  and  if  we  had  left  a 
great  barrow  heaped  above  him !     For  he  was  slain  in  his  own 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


121 


house  and  by  one  who  had  married  the  wife  he  had  left  behind. 
When  the  Ancient  One  of  the  Sea  told  me  of  my  brother's  doom 
I  sat  down  upon  the  sand  and  wept,  and  I  was  minded  to  live 
no  more  nor  to  see  the  light  of  the  sun.' 

'And  of  thy  father,  Telemachus,  I  have  told  thee  what  I  my- 
self know  and  what  was  told  me  of  him  by  the  Ancient  One  of 
the  Sea  —  how  he  stays  on  an  Island  where  the  nymph  Calypso 
holds  him  against  his  will :  but  where  that  Island  lies  I  do  not 
know.  Odysseus  is  there,  and  he  cannot  win  back  to  his  own 
country,  seeing  that  he  has  no  ship  and  no  companions  to  help 
him  to  make  his  way  across  the  sea.  But  Odysseus  was  ever 
master  of  devices.  And  also  he  is  favoured  greatly  by  the 
goddess,  Pallas  Athene.  For  these  reasons,  Telemachus,  be 
hopeful  that  your  father  will  yet  reach  his  own  home  and 
country.' 

XXIII 

"TJOW  the  goddess,  Pallas  Athene,  had 
thought  for  Telemachus,  and  she  came 
to  him  where  he  lay  in  the  vestibule  of 
Menelaus'  house.  His  comrade,  Peisistra- 
tus  was  asleep,  but  Telemachus  was  wake- 
ful, thinking  upon  his  father. 

Athene  stood  before  his  bed  and  said 
to  him,  'Telemachus,  no  longer  shouldst  thou  wander  abroad, 
for  the  time  has  come  when  thou  shouldst  return.  Come. 
Rouse  Menelaus,  and  let  him  send  thee  upon  thy  way.' 


i22  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

Then  Telemachus  woke  Peisistratus  out  of  his  sleep  and 
told  him  that  it  was  best  that  they  should  be  going  on 
their  journey.  But  Peisistratus  said,  'Tarry  until  it  is  dawn, 
Telemachus,  when  Menelaus  will  come  to  us  and  send  us  on 
our  way.' 

Then  when  it  was  light  King  Menelaus  came  to  them.  When 
he  heard  that  they  would  depart  he  told  the  lady  Helen  to  bid 
the  maids  prepare  a  meal  for  them.  He  himself,  with  Helen  his 
wife,  and  Megapenthes,  his  son,  went  down  into  his  treasure- 
chamber  and  brought  forth  for  gifts  to  Telemachus  a  two- 
handled  cup  and  a  great  mixing  bowl  of  silver.  And  Helen  took 
out  of  a  chest  a  beautiful  robe  that  she  herself  had  made  and 
embroidered.  They  came  to  Telemachus  where  he  stood  by 
the  chariot  with  Peisistratus  ready  to  depart.  Then  Menelaus 
gave  him  the  beautiful  two-handled  cup  that  had  been  a  gift  to 
himself  from  the  king  of  the  Sidonians.  Megapenthes  brought 
up  the  great  bowl  of  silver  and  put  it  in  the  chariot,  and  beautiful 
Helen  came  to  him  holding  the  embroidered  robe. 

'I  too  have  a  gift,  dear  child,  for  thee,'  she  said.  'Bring 
this  robe  home  and  leave  it  in  thy  mother's  keeping.  I  want 
thee  to  have  it  to  give  to  thy  bride  when  thou  bringest  her  into 
thy  father's  halls.' 

Then  were  the  horses  yoked  to  the  chariot  and  Telemachus 
and  Peisistratus  bade  farewell  to  Menelaus  and  Helen  who  had 
treated  them  so  kindly.  As  they  were  ready  to  go  Menelaus 
poured  out  of  a  golden  cup  wine  as  an  offering  to  the  gods.     And 


i24  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

as  Menelaus  poured  it  out,  Telemachus  prayed  that  he  might 
find  Odysseus,  his  father,  in  his  home. 

Now  as  he  prayed  a  bird  flew  from  the  right  hand  and  over 
the  horses'  heads.  It  was  an  eagle,  and  it  bore  in  its  claws  a  goose 
that  belonged  to  the  farmyard.  Telemachus  asked  Menelaus 
was  this  not  a  sign  from  Zeus,  the  greatest  of  the  Gods. 

Then  said  Helen,  'Hear  me  now,  for  I  will  prophesy  from  this 
sign  to  you.  Even  as  yonder  eagle  has  flown  down  from  the 
mountain  and  killed  a  goose  of  the  farmyard,  so  will  Odysseus 
come  from  far  to  his  home  and  kill  the  wooers  who  are  there.' 

'May  Zeus  grant  that  it  be  so,'  said  Telemachus.  He  spoke 
and  lashed  the  horses,  and  they  sped  across  the  plain. 

When  they  came  near  the  city  of  Pylos,  Telemachus  spoke  to 
his  comrade,  Peisistratus,  and  said : 

'Do  not  take  me  past  my  ship,  son  of  Nestor.  Thy  good 
father  expects  me  to  return  to  his  house,  but  I  fear  that  if  I  should, 
he,  out  of  friendliness,  would  be  anxious  to  make  me  stay  many 
days.     But  I  know  that  I  should  now  return  to  Ithaka.' 

The  son  of  Nestor  turned  the  horses  towards  the  sea  and  they 
drove  the  chariot  to  where  Telemachus'  ship  was  anchored. 
Then  Telemachus  gathered  his  followers,  and  he  bade  them  take 
on  board  the  presents  that  Menelaus  and  Helen  had  given  him. 

They  did  this,  and  they  raised  the  mast  and  the  sails  and  the 
rowers  took  their  seats  on  the  benches.  A  breeze  came  and  the 
sails  took  it  and  Telemachus  and  his  companions  sailed  towards 
home.  And  all  unknown  to  the  youth,  his  father,  Odysseus,  was 
even  then  nearing  his  home. 


PART  II 

HOW  ODYSSEUS 

LEFT  CALYPSO' 

S  ISLAND       AND         CAME 

TO  THE  LAND         OF 

THE  PHiEA-CIANS; 

HOW  HE  TOLD  HE  FARED 
WITH        THE  CYCLOPES 

AND  WENT  PAST  THE 
TERRIBLE  SCYLLA  AND 
CHARYBDIS  AND  CAME 
TO       THE         ISLAND  OP 

THRITVACIA  WHERE 

HIS        MEN        SLAUGHTERED 


THE  CATTLE  OF  THE 
SUN;      HOW         HE  W    A    S 

GIVEN  A  SHIP  BY 

THE         P    HiE»  ACIANS         AND 

came  to  his  own 
latntd;  how  he  over 
threw  the  wooers 
who      wasted        his 

SUBSTANCE  AMD 

CAME  TO  REIG^T 

AGAIN  AS  KITSTG 

OF  ITHAKA 


Gwd 


VER  mindful  was  Pallas  Athene  of  Odys- 
seus although  she  might  not  help  him 
openly  because  of  a  wrong  he  had  done 
Poseidon,  the  god  of  the  sea.  But  she 
spoke  at  the  council  of  the  gods,  and  she 
won  from  Zeus  a  pledge  that  Odysseus 
would  now  be  permitted  to  return  to  his 
own  land.  On  that  day  she  went  to  Ithaka,  and,  appearing  to 
Telemachus,  moved  him,  as  has  been  told,  to  go  on  the  voyage  in 
search  of  his  father.  And  on  that  day,  too,  Hermes,  by  the  will 
of  Zeus,  went  to  Ogygia  —  to  that  Island  where,  as  the  Ancient 
One  of  the  Sea  had  shown  Menelaus,  Odysseus  was  held  by  the 
nymph  Calypso. 

Beautiful  indeed  was  that  Island.  All  round  the  cave  where 
Calypso  lived  was  a  blossoming  wood  —  alder,  poplar  and  cypress 
trees  were  there,  and  on  their  branches  roosted  long-winged  birds 
—  falcons  and  owls  and  chattering  sea-crows.  Before  the  cave 
was  a  soft  meadow  in  which  thousands  of  violets  bloomed,  and 
with  four  fountains  that  gushed  out  of  the  ground  and  made  clear 

127 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  129 

streams  through  the  grass.  Across  the  cave  grew  a  straggling 
vine,  heavy  with  clusters  of  grapes.  Calypso  was  within  the  cave, 
and  as  Hermes  came  near,  he  heard  her  singing  one  of  her  magic 
songs. 

She  was  before  a  loom  weaving  the  threads  with  a  golden 
shuttle.  Now  she  knew  Hermes  and  was  pleased  to  see  him  on 
her  Island,  but  as  soon  as  he  spoke  of  Odysseus  and  how  it  was 
the  will  of  Zeus  that  he  should  be  permitted  to  leave  the  Island, 
her  song  ceased  and  the  golden  shuttle  fell  from  her  hand. 

'Woe  to  me,'  she  said,  'and  woe  to  any  immortal  who  loves 
a  mortal,  for  the  gods  are  always  jealous  of  their  love.  I  do  not 
hold  him  here  because  I  hate  Odysseus,  but  because  I  love  him 
greatly,  and  would  have  him  dwell  with  me  here,  —  more  than 
this,  Hermes,  I  would  make  him  an  immortal  so  that  he  would 
know  neither  old  age  nor  death.' 

'He  does  not  desire  to  be  freed  from  old  age  and  death/  said 
Hermes,  'he  desires  to  return  to  his  own  land  and  to  live  with 
his  dear  wife,  Penelope,  and  his  son,  Telemachus.  And  Zeus,  the 
greatest  of  the  gods,  commands  that  you  let  him  go  upon  his  way.' 

'I  have  no  ship  to  give  him,'  said  Calypso,  'and  I  have  no 
company  of  men  to  help  him  to  cross  the  sea.' 

'  He  must  leave  the  Island  and  cross  the  sea  —  Zeus  com- 
mands it,'  Hermes  said. 

'I  must  help  him  to  make  his  way  across  the  sea  if  it  must  be 
so,'  Calypso  said.  Then  she  bowed  her  head  and  Hermes  went 
from  her. 


130  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

Straightway  Calypso  left  her  cave  and  went  down  to  the  sea. 
By  the  shore  Odysseus  stayed,  looking  across  the  wide  sea  with 
tears  in  his  eyes. 

She  came  to  him  and  she  said,  'Be  not  sorrowful  any  more, 
Odysseus.  The  time  has  come  when  thou  mayst  depart  from 
my  Island.  Come  now.  I  will  show  how  I  can  help  thee  on  thy 
way.' 

]HE  brought  him  to  the  side  of  the  Island 
where  great  trees  grew  and  she  put  in  his 
hands  a  double-edged  axe  and  an  adze. 
Then  Odysseus  started  to  hew  down  the 
timber.  Twenty  trees  he  felled  with  his 
axe  of  bronze,  and  he  smoothed  them  and 
made  straight  the  line.  Calypso  came  to 
him  at  the  dawn  of  the  next  day ;  she  brought  augers  for  boring 
and  he  made  the  beams  fast.  He  built  a  raft,  making  it  very 
broad,  and  set  a  mast  upon  it  and  fixed  a  rudder  to  guide  it. 
To  make  it  more  secure,  he  wove  out  of  osier  rods  a  fence  that 
went  from  stem  to  stern  as  a  bulwark  against  the  waves,  and 
he  strengthened  the  bulwark  with  wood  placed  behind.  Calypso 
wove  him  a  web  of  cloth  for  sails,  and  these  he  made  very 
skilfully.  Then  he  fastened  the  braces  and  the  halyards  and 
sheets,  and  he  pushed  the  raft  with  levers  down  to  the  sea. 

That  was  on  the  fourth  day.  On  the  fifth  Calypso  gave  him 
garments  for  the  journey  and  brought  provision  down  to  the  raft 
—  two  skins  of  wine  and  a  great  skin  of  water ;  corn  and  mam 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  131 

dainties.  She  showed  Odysseus  how  to  guide  his  course  by  the 
star  that  some  call  the  Bear  and  others  the  Wain,  and  she  bade 
farewell  to  him.  He  took  his  place  on  the  raft  and  set  his  sail 
to  the  breeze  and  he  sailed  away  from  Ogygia,  the  island  where 
Calypso  had  held  him  for  so  long. 

But  not  easily  or  safely  did  he  make  his  way  across  the  sea. 
The  winds  blew  upon  his  raft  and  the  waves  dashed  against  it ; 
a  fierce  blast  came  and  broke  the  mast  in  the  middle ;  the  sail  and 
the  arm-yard  fell  into  the  deep.  Then  Odysseus  was  flung  down 
on  the  bottom  of  the  raft.  For  a  long  time  he  lay  there  over- 
whelmed by  the  water  that  broke  over  him.  The  winds  drove 
the  raft  to  and  fro  —  the  South  wind  tossed  it  to  the  North  to 
bear  along,  and  the  East  wind  tossed  it  to  the  West  to  chase. 

In  the  depths  of  the  sea  there  was  a  Nymph  who  saw  his  toils 
and  his  troubles  and  who  had  pity  upon  him.  Ino  was  her  name. 
She  rose  from  the  waves  in  the  likeness  of  a  seagull  and  she  sat 
upon  the  raft  and  she  spoke  to  Odysseus  in  words. 

'Hapless  man,'  she  said,  'Poseidon,  the  god  of  the  sea,  is 
still  wroth  with  thee.  It  may  be  that  the  waters  will  destroy 
the  raft  upon  which  thou  sailest.  Then  there  would  be  no  hope 
for  thee.  But  do  what  I  bid  thee  and  thou  shalt  yet  escape. 
Strip  off  thy  garments  and  take  this  veil  from  me  and  wind  it 
around  thy  breast.  As  long  as  it  is  upon  thee  thou  canst  not 
drown.  But  when  thou  reachest  the  mainland  loose  the  veil  and 
cast  it  into  the  sea  so  that  it  may  come  back  to  me.' 

She  gave  him  the  veil,  and  then,  in  the  likeness  of  a  seagull 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  133 

she  dived  into  the  sea  and  the  waves  closed  over  her.  Odysseus 
took  the  veil  and  wound  it  around  his  breast,  but  he  would  not 
leave  the  raft  as  long  as  its  timbers  held  together. 

Then  a  great  wave  came  and  shattered  the  raft.  He  held 
himself  on  a  single  beam  as  one  holds  himself  on  a  horse,  and  then, 
with  the  veil  bound  across  his  breast,  he  threw  himself  into  the 
waves. 

For  two  nights  and  two  days  he  was  tossed  about  on  the 
waters.  When  on  the  third  day  the  dawn  came  and  the  winds 
fell  he  saw  land  very  near.  He  swam  eagerly  towards  it.  But 
when  he  drew  nearer  he  heard  the  crash  of  waves  as  they  struck 
against  rocks  that  were  all  covered  with  foam.  Then  indeed 
was  Odysseus  afraid. 

A  great  wave  took  hold  of  him  and  flung  him  towards  the  shore. 
Now  would  his  bones  have  been  broken  upon  the  rocks  if  he  had 
not  been  ready-minded  enough  to  rush  towards  a  rock  and  to 
cling  to  it  with  both  hands  until  the  wave  dashed  by.  Its 
backward  drag  took  him  and  carried  him  back  to  the  deep  with 
the  skin  stripped  from  his  hands.  The  waves  closed  over  him. 
When  he  rose  again  he  swam  round  looking  for  a  place  where 
there  might  be,  not  rocks,  but  some  easy  opening  into  the  land. 

At  last  he  saw  the  mouth  of  a  river.  He  swam  towards  it  until 
he  felt  its  stream  flowing  through  the  water  of  the  sea.  Then  in 
his  heart  he  prayed  to  the  river.  'Hear  me,  O  River,'  was  what 
he  said,  'I  am  come  to  thee  as  a  suppliant,  fleeing  from  the  anger 
of  Poseidon,  god  of  the  sea.     Even  by  the  gods  is  the  man 


134  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

pitied  who  comes  to  them  as  a  wanderer  and  a  hapless  man.  I 
am  thy  suppliant,  O  River ;  pity  me  and  help  me  in  my  need.' 

Now  the  river  water  was  smooth  for  his  swimming,  and  he 
came  safely  to  its  mouth.  He  came  to  a  place  where  he  might 
land,  but  with  his  flesh  swollen  and  streams  of  salt  water  gushing 
from  his  mouth  and  nostrils.  He  lay  on  the  ground  without 
breath  or  speech,  swooning  with  the  terrible  weariness  that  was 
upon  him.  But  in  a  while  his  breath  came  back  to  him  and  his 
courage  rose.  He  remembered  the  veil  that  the  Sea-nymph  had 
given  him  and  he  loosened  it  and  let  it  fall  back  into  the  flowing 
river.  A  wave  came  and  bore  it  back  to  Ino  who  caught  it  in 
her  hands. 

But  Odysseus  was  still  fearful,  and  he  said  in  his  heart,  'Ah 
me !  what  is  to  befall  me  now  ?  Here  am  I,  naked  and  forlorn,  and 
I  know  not  amongst  what  people  I  am  come.  And  what  shall 
I  do  with  myself  when  night  comes  on  ?  If  I  lie  by  the  river  in 
the  frost  and  dew  I  may  perish  of  the  cold.  And  if  I  climb  up 
yonder  to  the  woods  and  seek  refuge  in  the  thickets  I  may  become 
the  prey  of  wild  beasts.' 

He  went  from  the  cold  of  the  river  up  to  the  woods,  and  he 
found  two  olive  trees  growing  side  by  side,  twining  together 
so  that  they  made  a  shelter  against  the  winds.  He  went  and  lay 
between  them  upon  a  bed  of  leaves,  and  with  leaves  he  covered 
himself  over.  There  in  that  shelter,  and  with  that  warmth  he 
lay,  and  sleep  came  on  him,  and  at  last  he  rested  from  perils  and 
toils. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


135 


II 


ND  while  he  rested  the  goddess,  Pallas 
Athene,  went  to  the  City  of  the  Phsea- 
cians,  to  whose  land  Odysseus  had  now 
come. 

She  came  to  the  Palace  of  the  King, 
and,  passing  through  all  the  doors,  came 
to  the  chamber  where  the  King's  daughter, 
Nausicaa  slept.  She  entered  into  Nausicaa's  dream,  appearing 
to  her  in  it  as  one  of  her  girl-comrades.  And  in  the  dream 
she  spoke  to  the  Princess : 

'Nausicaa,'  she  said,  'the  garments  of  your  household  are 
all  uncared  for,  and  the  time  is  near  when,  more  than  ever,  you 
have  need  to  have  much  and  beautiful  raiment.  Your  marriage 
day  will  be  soon.  You  will  have  to  have  many  garments  ready 
by  that  time  —  garments  to  bring  with  you  to  your  husband's 
house,  and  garments  to  give  to  those  who  will  attend  you  at  your 
wedding.  There  is  much  to  be  done,  Nausicaa.  Be  ready  at 
the  break  of  day,  and  take  your  maidens  with  you,  and  bring 
the  garments  of  your  household  to  the  river  to  be  washed. 
I  will  be  your  mate  in  the  toil.  Beg  your  father  to  give  you 
a  wagon  with  mules  to  carry  all  the  garments  that  we  have 
need  to  wash.' 

So  in  her  dream  Pallas  Athene  spoke  to  the  Princess  in  the 
likeness  of  her  girl-friend.     Having  put  the  task  of  washing  into 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  137 

her  mind,  the  goddess  left  the  Palace  of  the  King  and  the  coun- 
try of  the  Phaeacians. 

Nausicaa,  when  she  rose,  thought  upon  her  dream,  and  she  went 
through  the  Palace  and  found  her  father.  He  was  going  to  the 
assembly  of  the  Phaeacians.  She  came  to  him,  but  she  was  shy 
about  speaking  of  that  which  had  been  in  her  dream  —  her  mar- 
riage day  —  since  her  parents  had  not  spoken  to  her  about  such  a 
thing.  Saying  that  she  was  going  to  the  river  to  wash  the  garments 
of  the  household,  she  asked  for  a  wagon  and  for  mules.  '  So 
many  garments  have  I  lying  soiled,'  she  said.  '  Yea,  and  thou  too, 
my  father,  should  have  fresh  raiment  when  you  go  forth  to  the 
assembly  of  the  Phaeacians.  And  in  our  house  are  the  two 
unwedded  youths,  my  brothers,  who  are  always  eager  for  new 
washed  garments  wherein  to  go  to  dances.' 

Her  father  smiled  on  her  and  said,  'The  mules  and  wagon 
thou  mayst  have,  Nausicaa,  and  the  servants  shall  get  them 
ready  for  thee  now.' 

He  called  to  the  servants  and  bade  them  get  ready  the  mules 
and  the  wagon.  Then  Nausicaa  gathered  her  maids  together 
and  they  brought  the  soiled  garments  of  the  household  to  the 
wagon.  And  her  mother,  so  that  Nausicaa  and  her  maids  might 
eat  while  they  were  from  home,  put  in  a  basket  filled  with 
dainties  and  a  skin  of  wine.  Also  she  gave  them  a  jar  of 
olive-oil  so  that  they  might  rub  themselves  with  oil  when 
bathing  in  the  river. 

Young  Nausicaa  herself  drove  the  wagon.     She  mounted  it 


138  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

and  took  the  whip  in  her  hands  and  started  the  mules,  and  they 
went  through  fields  and  by  farms  and  came  to  the  river-bank. 

The  girls  brought  the  garments  to  the  stream,  and  leaving 
them  in  the  shallow  parts  trod  them  with  their  bare  feet.  The 
wagon  was  unharnessed  and  the  mules  were  left  to  graze  along 
the  river  side.  Now  when  they  had  washed  the  garments  they 
took  them  to  the  sea-shore  and  left  them  on  the  clean  pebbles 
to  dry  in  the  sun.  Then  Nausicaa  and  her  companions  went  into 
the  river  and  bathed  and  sported  in  the  water. 

When  they  had  bathed  they  sat  down  and  ate  the  meal  that 
had  been  put  on  the  wagon  for  them.  The  garments  were  not 
yet  dried  and  Nausicaa  called  on  her  companions  to  play. 
Straightway  they  took  a  ball  and  threw  it  from  one  to  the  other, 
each  singing  a  song  that  went  with  the  game.  And  as  they 
played  on  the  meadow  they  made  a  lovely  company,  and  the 
Princess  Nausicaa  was  the  tallest  and  fairest  and  noblest  of 
them  all. 

Before  they  left  the  river  side  to  load  the  wagon  they  played 
a  last  game.  The  Princess  threw  the  ball,  and  the  girl  whose 
turn  it  was  to  catch  missed  it.  The  ball  went  into  the  river  and 
was  carried  down  the  stream.  At  that  they  all  raised  a  cry.  It 
was  this  cry  that  woke  up  Odysseus  who,  covered  over  with 
leaves,  was  then  sleeping  in  the  shelter  of  the  two  olive  trees. 

He  crept  out  from  under  the  thicket,  covering  his  nakedness 
with  leafy  boughs  that  he  broke  off  the  trees.  And  when  he  saw 
the  girls  in  the  meadow  he  wanted  to  go  to  them  to  beg  for  their 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


139 


help.  But  when  they  looked  on  him  they  were  terribly  frightened 
and  they  ran  this  way  and  that  way  and  hid  themselves.  Only 
Nausicaa  stood  still,  for  Pallas  Athene  had  taken  fear  from  her 
mind. 

Odysseus  stood  a  little  way  from  her  and  spoke  to  her  in  a 
beseeching  voice.  'I  supplicate  thee,  lady,  to  help  me  in  my 
bitter  need.  I  would  kneel  to  thee  and  clasp  thy  knees  only  I 
fear  thine  anger.  Have  pity  upon  me.  Yesterday  was  the 
twentieth  day  that  I  was  upon  the  sea,  driven  hither  and  thither 
by  the  waves  and  the  winds.' 

ND  still  Nausicaa  stood,  and  Odysseus 
looking  upon  her  was  filled  with  reverence 
for  her,  so  noble  she  seemed.  'I  know  not 
as  I  look  upon  thee,'  he  said,  'whether 
thou  art  a  goddess  or  a  mortal  maiden. 
If  thou  art  a  mortal  maiden,  happy  must 
thy  father  be  and  thy  mother  and  thy 
brothers.  Surely  they  must  be  proud  and  glad  to  see  thee  in 
the  dance,  for  thou  art  the  very  flower  of  maidens.  And  happy 
above  all  will  he  be  who  will  lead  thee  to  his  home  as  his  bride. 
Never  have  my  eyes  beheld  one  who  had  such  beauty  and  such 
nobleness.  I  think  thou  art  like  to  the  young  palm-tree  I  once 
saw  springing  up  by  the  altar  of  Apollo  in  Delos  —  a  tree  that 
many  marvelled  to  look  at.  O  lady,  after  many  and  sore  trials, 
to  thee,  first  of  all  the  people,  have  I  come.  I  know  that  thou 
wilt  be  gracious  to  me.     Show  me  the  way  to  the  town.     Give 


i4o  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

me  an  old  garment  to  cast  about  me.  And  may  the  gods  grant 
thee  thy  wish  and  heart's  desire  —  a  noble  husband  who  will 
cherish  thee.' 

She  spoke  to  him  as  a  Princess  should,  seeing  that  in  spite  of 
the  evil  plight  he  was  in,  he  was  a  man  of  worth.  'Stranger,' 
she  said,  'since  thou  hast  come  to  our  land,  thou  shalt  not  lack 
for  raiment  nor  aught  else  that  is  given  to  a  suppliant.  I  will 
show  thee  the  way  to  the  town  also.' 

He  asked  what  land  he  was  in.  'This,  stranger,'  she  said, 
'is  the  land  of  the  Phaeacians,  and  Alcinous  is  King  over  them. 
And  I  am  the  King's  daughter,  Nausicaa.' 

Then  she  called  to  her  companions.  '  Do  not  hide  yourselves,' 
she  said.  '  This  is  not  an  enemy,  but  a  helpless  and  an  unfriended 
man.  We  must  befriend  him,  for  it  is  well  said  that  the  stranger 
and  the  beggar  are  from  God.' 

The  girls  came  back  and  they  brought  Odysseus  to  a  sheltered 
place  and  they  made  him  sit  down  and  laid  a  garment  beside  him. 
One  brought  the  jar  of  olive  oil  that  he  might  clean  himself  when 
he  bathed  in  the  river.  And  Odysseus  was  very  glad  to  get  this 
oil  for  his  back  and  shoulders  were  all  crusted  over  with  flakes  of 
brine.  He  went  into  the  river  and  bathed  and  rubbed  himself 
with  the  oil.  Then  he  put  on  the  garment  that  had  been  brought 
him.  So  well  he  looked  that  when  he  came  towards  them  again 
the  Princess  said  to  the  maids : 

'  Look  now  on  the  man  who  a  while  ago  seemed  so  terrifying ! 
He  is  most  handsome  and  stately.     Would  that  we  might  see 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  141 

<nore  of  him.  Now,  my  maidens,  bring  the  stranger  meat  and 
drink.' 

They  came  to  him  and  they  served  him  with  meat  and  drink 
and  he  ate  and  drank  eagerly,  for  it  was  long  since  he  had  tasted 
food.  And  while  he  ate,  Nausicaa  and  her  companions  went  down 
to  the  seashore  and  gathered  the  garments  that  were  now  dried, 
singing  songs  the  while.  They  harnessed  the  mules  and  folded 
the  garments  and  left  them  on  the  wagon. 

When  they  were  ready  to  go  Nausicaa  went  to  Odysseus  and 
said  to  him, '  Stranger,  if  thou  wouldst  make  thy  way  into  the  city 
come  with  us  now,  so  that  we  may  guide  thee.  But  first  listen 
to  what  I  would  say.  While  we  are  going  through  the  fields 
and  by  the  farms  walk  thou  behind,  keeping  near  the  wagon. 
But  when  we  enter  the  ways  of  the  City,  go  no  further  with  us. 
People  might  speak  unkindly  of  me  if  they  saw  me  with  a  stranger 
such  as  thou.  They  might  say,  "  Who  does  Nausicaa  bring  to 
her  father's  house?  Someone  she  would  like  to  make  her  hus- 
band, most  likely."  So  that  we  may  not  meet  with  such  rudeness 
I  would  have  thee  come  alone  to  my  father's  house.  Listen  now 
and  I  will  tell  thee  how  thou  mayst  do  this.' 

'There  is  a  grove  kept  for  the  goddess  Pallas  Athene  within 
a  man's  shout  of  the  city.  In  that  grove  is  a  spring,  and  when  we 
come  near  I  would  have  thee  go  and  rest  thyself  by  it.  Then 
when  thou  dost  think  we  have  come  to  my  father's  house,  enter 
the  City  and  ask  thy  way  to  the  palace  of  the  King.  When  thou 
hast  come  to  it,  pass  quickly  through  the  court  and  through  the 


142 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


great  chamber  and  come  to  where  my  mother  sits  weaving  yarn 
by  the  light  of  the  fire.  My  father  will  be  sitting  near,  drinking 
his  wine  in  the  evening.  Pass  by  his  seat  and  come  to  my  mother, 
and  clasp  your  hands  about  her  knees  and  ask  for  her  aid.  If 
she  become  friendly  to  thee  thou  wilt  be  helped  by  our  people 
and  wilt  be  given  the  means  of  returning  to  thine  own  land.' 

So  Nausicaa  bade  him.  Then  she  touched  the  mules  with  the 
whip  and  the  wagon  went  on.  Odysseus  walked  with  the  maids 
behind.  As  the  sun  set  they  came  to  the  grove  that  was  outside 
the  City  —  the  grove  of  Pallas  Athene.  Odysseus  went  into  it 
and  sat  by  the  spring.  And  while  he  was  in  her  grove  he  prayed 
to  the  goddess,  '  Hear  me,  Pallas  Athene,  and  grant  that  I  may 
come  before  the  King  of  this  land  as  one  well  worthy  of  his  pity 
and  his  help.' 


Ill 

BOUT  the  time  that  the  maiden  Nausicaa 
had  come  to  her  father's  house,  Odysseus 
rose  up  from  where  he  sat  by  the  spring 
in  the  grove  of  Pallas  Athene  and  went 
into  the  City.  There  he  met  one  who 
showed  him  the  way  to  the  palace  of  King 
Alcinous.  The  doors  of  that  palace  were 
golden  and  the  door-posts  were  of  "silver.  And  there  was  a  gar- 
den by  the  great  door  filled  with  fruitful  trees — pear  trees  and 
pomegranates ;    apple  trees  and  trees  bearing  figs  and  olives. 


i44  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

Below  it  was  a  vineyard  showing  clusters  of  grapes.  That 
orchard  and  that  vineyard  were  marvels,  for  in  them  never 
fruit  fell  or  was  gathered  but  other  fruit  ripened  to  take  its 
place ;  from  season  to  season  there  was  fruit  for  the  gathering 
in  the  king's  close. 

Odysseus  stood  before  the  threshold  of  bronze  and  many 
thoughts  were  in  his  mind.  But  at  last  with  a  prayer  to  Zeus 
he  crossed  the  threshold  and  went  through  the  great  hall.  Now 
on  that  evening  the  Captains  and  the  Councillors  of  the  Phae- 
acians  sat  drinking  wine  with  the  King.  Odysseus  passed  by 
them,  and  stayed  not  at  the  King's  chair,  but  went  where  Arete, 
the  Queen,  sat.  And  he  knelt  before  her  and  clasped  her  knees 
with  his  hands  and  spoke  to  her  in  supplication : 

'Arete,  Queen !  After  many  toils  and  perils  I  am  come  to 
thee  and  to  thy  husband,  and  to  these,  thy  guests !  May  the 
gods  give  all  who  are  here  a  happy  life  and  may  each  see  his 
children  in  safe  possession  of  his  halls.  I  have  come  to  thee  to 
beg  that  thou  wouldst  put  me  on  my  way  to  my  own  land,  for 
long  have  I  suffered  sore  affliction  far  from  my  friends.' 

Then,  having  spoken,  Odysseus  went  and  sat  down  in  the  ashes 
of  the  hearth  with  his  head  bowed.  No  one  spoke  for  long. 
Then  an  aged  Councillor  who  was  there  spoke  to  the  King. 

'O  Alcinous,'  he  said,  'it  is  not  right  that  a  stranger  should 
sit  in  the  ashes  by  thy  hearth.  Bid  the  stranger  rise  now  and 
let  a  chair  be  given  him  and  supper  set  before  him.' 

Then  Alcinous  took  Odysseus  by  the  hand,  and  raised  him 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  145 

from  where  he  sat,  and  bade  his  son  Laodamas  give  place  to  him. 
He  sat  on  a  chair  inlaid  with  silver  and  the  housedame  brought 
him  bread  and  wine  and  dainties.  He  ate,  and  King  Alcinous 
spoke  to  the  company  and  said : 

'To-morrow  I  shall  call  you  together  and  we  will  entertain 
this  stranger  with  a  feast  in  our  halls,  and  we  shall  take  counsel 
to  see  in  what  way  we  can  convoy  him  to  his  own  land.' 

The  Captains  and  Councillors  assented  to  this,  and  then  each 
one  arose  and  went  to  his  own  house.  Odysseus  was  left  alone 
in  the  hall  with  the  King  and  the  Queen.  Now  Arete,  looking 
closely  at  Odysseus,  recognized  the  mantle  he  wore,  for  she  herself 
had  wrought  it  with  her  handmaids.  And  when  all  the  company 
had  gone  she  spoke  to  Odysseus  and  said  : 

'Stranger,  who  art  thou?  Didst  thou  not  speak  of  coming 
to  us  from  across  the  deep  ?  And  if  thou  didst  come  that  way, 
who  gave  thee  the  raiment  that  thou  hast  on?' 

AID  Odysseus,  'Lady,  for  seven  and  ten 
days  I  sailed  across  the  deep,  and  on  the 
eighteenth  day  I  sighted  the  hills  of  thy 
land.  But  my  woes  were  not  yet  ended. 
The  storm  winds  shattered  my  raft,  and 
when  I  strove  to  land  the  waves  over- 
whelmed me  and  dashed  me  against  great 
rocks  in  a  desolate  place.  At  length  I  came  to  a  river,  and 
I  swam  through  its  mouth  and  I  found  a  shelter  from  the  wind. 
There  I  lay  amongst  the  leaves  all  the  night  long  and  from 


146  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

dawn  to  mid-day.  Then  came  thy  daughter  down  to  the  river. 
I  was  aware  of  her  playing  with  her  friends,  and  to  her  I 
made  my  supplication.  She  gave  me  bread  and  wine,  and  she 
bestowed  these  garments  upon  me,  and  she  showed  an  under- 
standing that  was  far  beyond  her  years.' 

Then  said  Alcinous  the  King,  'Our  daughter  did  not  do  well 
when  she  did  not  bring  thee  straight  to  our  house.' 

Odysseus  said,  'My  Lord,  do  not  blame  the  maiden.  She 
bade  me  follow  with  her  company,  and  she  was  only  careful  that 
no  one  should  have  cause  to  make  ill-judged  remarks  upon  the 
stranger  whom  she  found.' 

Then  Alcinous,  the  King,  praised  Odysseus  and  said  that  he 
should  like  such  a  man  to  abide  in  his  house  and  that  he  would 
give  him  land  and  wealth,  in  the  country  of  the  Phasacians. 
'But  if  it  is  not  thy  will  to  abide  with  us,'  he  said,  'I  shall  give 
thee  a  ship  and  a  company  of  men  to  take  thee  to  thy  own  land, 
even  if  that  land  be  as  far  as  Eubcea,  which,  our  men  say,  is  the 
farthest  of  all  lands.'  As  he  said  this  Odysseus  uttered  a  prayer 
in  his  heart,  '  O  Father  Zeus,  grant  that  Alcinous  the  King  may 
fulfil  all  that  he  has  promised  —  and  for  that  may  his  fame  never 
be  quenched  —  and  that  I  may  come  to  my  own  land.' 

Arete  now  bade  the  maids  prepare  a  bed  for  Odysseus.  This 
they  did,  casting  warm  coverlets  and  purple  blankets  upon  it. 
And  when  Odysseus  came  to  the  bed  and  lay  in  it,  after  the  tossing 
of  the  waves,  rest  in  it  seemed  wonderfully  good. 

At  dawn  of  day  he  went  with  the  King  to  the  assembly  of  the 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  147 

Phseacians.  When  the  Princes  and  Captains  and  Councillors 
were  gathered  together,  Alcinous  spoke  to  them  saying : 

'Princes  and  Captains  and  Councillors  of  the  Phaeacians ! 
This  stranger  has  come  to  my  house  in  his  wanderings,  and  he 
desires  us  to  give  him  a  ship  and  a  company  of  men,  so  that  he 
may  cross  the  sea  and  come  to  his  own  land.  Let  us,  as  in  times 
past  we  have  done  for  others,  help  him  in  his  journey.  Nay, 
let  us  even  now  draw  down  a  black  ship  to  the  sea,  and  put 
two  and  fifty  of  our  noblest  youths  upon  it,  and  let  us  make 
it  ready  for  the  voyage.  But  before  he  departs  from  amongst 
us,  come  all  of  you  to  a  feast  that  I  shall  give  to  this  stranger 
in  my  house.  And  moreover,  let  us  take  with  us  the  minstrel 
of  our  land,  blind  Demodocus,  that  his  songs  may  make  us  glad 
at  the  feast.' 

So  the  King  spoke,  and  the  Princes,  Captains  and  Councillors 
of  the  Phaeacians  went  with  him  to  the  palace.  And  at  the  same 
time  two  and  fifty  youths  went  down  to  the  shore  of  the  sea,  and 
drew  down  a  ship  and  placed  the  masts  and  sails  upon  it,  and  left 
the  oars  in  their  leathern  loops.  Having  done  all  this  they  went 
to  the  palace  where  the  feast  was  being  given  and  where  many 
men  had  gathered. 

The  henchman  led  in  the  minstrel,  blind  Demodocus.  To 
him  the  gods  had  given  a  good  and  an  evil  fortune  — ■  the  gift  of 
song  with  the  lack  of  sight.  The  henchman  led  him  through  the 
company,  and  placed  him  on  a  seat  inlaid  with  silver,  and  hung 
his  lyre  on  the  pillar  above  his  seat.     When  the  guests  and  the 


148  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

minstrel  had  feasted,  blind  Demodocus  took  down  the  lyre  and 
sang  of  things  that  were  already  famous  —  of  the  deeds  of 
Achilles  and  Odysseus. 

Now  when  he  heard  the  words  that  the  minstrel  uttered, 
Odysseus  caught  up  his  purple  cloak  and  drew  it  over  his  head. 
Tears  were  falling  down  his  cheeks  and  he  was  ashamed  of  their 
being  seen.  No  one  marked  his  weeping  except  the  King,  and 
the  King  wondered  why  his  guest  should  be  so  moved  by  what 
the  minstrel  related. 

When  they  had  feasted  and  the  minstrel  had  sung  to  them, 
Alcinous  said,  'Let  us  go  forth  now  and  engage  in  games  and 
sports  so  that  our  stranger  guest  may  tell  his  friends  when  he  is 
amongst  them  what  our  young  men  can  do.' 

All  went  out  from  the  palace  to  the  place  where  the  games 
were  played.  There  was  a  foot-race,  and  there  was  a  boxing- 
match,  and  there  was  wrestling  and  weight-throwing.  All  the 
youths  present  went  into  the  games.  And  when  the  sports 
were  ending  Laodamas,  the  son  of  King  Alcinous,  said  to  his 
friends : 

'  Come,  my  friends,  and  let  us  ask  the  stranger  whether  he  is 
skilled  or  practised  in  any  sport.'  And  saying  this  he  went  to 
Odysseus  and  said,  'Friend  and  stranger,  come  now  and  try  thy 
skill  in  the  games.  Cast  care  away  from  thee,  for  thy  journey 
shall  not  be  long  delayed.  Even  now  the  ship  is  drawn  down  to 
the  sea,  and  we  have  with  us  the  company  of  youths  that  is  ready 
to  help  thee  to  thine  own  land.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


iSi 


shalt  have  something  to  tell  thy  friends  when  thou  art  in  thine 
own  land,  we  shall  show  thee  the  games  in  which  we  are  most 
skilful.  For  we  Phseacians  are  not  perfect  boxers  or  wrestlers, 
but  we  excel  all  in  running  and  in  dancing  and  in  pulling  with 
the  oar.  Lo,  now,  ye  dancers  !  Come  forward  and  show  your 
nimbleness,  so  that  the  stranger  may  tell  his  friends,  when  he  is 
amongst  them,  how  far  we  surpass  all  men  in  dancing  as  well  as 
in  seamanship  and  speed  of  foot.' 

PLACE  was  levelled  for  the  dance,  and 
the  blind  minstrel,  Demodocus,  took  the 
lyre  in  his  hands  and  made  music,  while 
youths  skilled  in  the  dance  struck  the 
ground  with  their  feet.  Odysseus  as  he 
watched  them  marvelled  at  their  grace 
and  their  spirit.  When  the  dance  was 
ended  he  said  to  the  King,  'My  Lord  Alcinous,  thou  didst 
boast  thy  dancers  to  be  the  best  in  the  world,  and  thy  word 
is  not  to  be  denied.     I  wonder  as  I  look  upon  them.' 

At  the  end  of  the  day  Alcinous  spoke  to  his  people  and  said, 
'This  stranger,  in  all  that  he  does  and  says,  shows  himself  to  be 
a  wise  and  a  mighty  man.  Let  each  of  us  now  give  him  the 
stranger's  gift.  Here  there  are  twelve  princes  of  the  Phaeacians 
and  I  am  the  thirteenth.  Let  each  of  us  give  him  a  worthy  gift, 
and  then  let  us  go  back  to  my  house  and  sit  down  to  supper.  As 
for  Euryalus,  let  him  make  amends  to  the  stranger  for  his  rude- 
ness of  speech  as  he  offers  him  his  gift.' 


152  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

All  assented  to  the  King's  words,  and  Euryalus  went  to  Odys- 
seus and  said,  '  Stranger,  if  I  have  spoken  aught  that  offended 
thee,  may  the  storm  winds  snatch  it  and  bear  it  away.  May 
the  gods  grant  that  thou  shalt  see  thy  wife  and  come  to  thine 
own  country.  Too  long  hast  thou  endured  afflictions  away  from 
thy  friends.' 

So  saying,  Euryalus  gave  Odysseus  a  sword  of  bronze  with  a 
silver  hilt  and  a  sheath  of  ivory.  Odysseus  took  it  and  said, 
'And  to  you,  my  friend,  may  the  gods  grant  all  happiness,  and 
mayst  thou  never  miss  the  sword  that  thou  hast  given  me.  Thy 
gracious  speech  hath  made  full  amends.' 

Each  of  the  twelve  princes  gave  gifts  to  Odysseus,  and  the  gifts 
were  brought  to  the  palace  and  left  by  the  side  of  the  Queen. 
And  Arete  herself  gave  Odysseus  a  beautiful  coffer  with  raiment 
and  gold  in  it,  and  Alcinous,  the  King,  gave  him  a  beautiful  cup, 
all  of  gold. 

In  the  palace  the  bath  was  prepared  for  Odysseus,  and  he 
entered  it  and  was  glad  of  the  warm  water,  for  not  since  he  had 
left  the  Island  of  Calypso  did  he  have  a  warm  bath.  He  came 
from  the  bath  and  put  on  the  beautiful  raiment  that  had  been 
given  him  and  he  walked  through  the  hall,  looking  a  king  amongst 
men. 

Now  the  maiden,  Nausicaa,  stood  by  a  pillar  as  he  passed,  and 
she  knew  that  she  had  never  looked  upon  a  man  who  was  more 
splendid.  She  had  thought  that  the  stranger  whom  she  had 
saved  would  have  stayed  in  her  father's  house,  and  that  one  day 


154  THE   ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

he  would  be  her  husband.  But  now  she  knew  that  by  no  means 
would  he  abide  in  the  land  of  the  Phseacians.  As  he  passed  by, 
she  spoke  to  him  and  said,  '  Farewell,  O  Stranger !  And  when 
thou  art  in  thine  own  country,  think  sometimes  of  me,  Nausicaa, 
who  helped  thee.'  Odysseus  took  her  hand  and  said  to  her, 
'  Farewell,  daughter  of  King  Alcinous  !  May  Zeus  grant  that 
I  may  return  to  my  own  land.  There  every  day  shall  I  pay 
homage  to  my  memory  of  thee,  to  whom  I  owe  my  life.' 

He  passed  on  and  he  came  to  where  the  Princes  and  Captains 
and  Councillors  of  the  Phaeacians  sat.  His  seat  was  beside  the 
King's.  Then  the  henchman  brought  in  the  minstrel,  blind 
Demodocus,  and  placed  him  on  a  seat  by  a  pillar.  And  when 
supper  was  served  Odysseus  sent  to  Demodocus  a  portion  of  his 
own  meat.  He  spoke  too  in  praise  of  the  minstrel  saying, 
'Right  well  dost  thou  sing  of  the  Greeks  and  all  they  wrought 
and  suffered  —  as  well,  methinks,  as  if  thou  hadst  been  present 
at  the  war  of  Troy.  I  would  ask  if  thou  canst  sing  of  the  Wooden 
Horse  that  brought  destruction  to  the  Trojans.  If  thou  canst, 
I  shall  be  a  witness  amongst  all  men  how  the  gods  have  surely 
given  thee  the  gift  of  song.' 

Demodocus  took  down  the  lyre  and  sang.  His  song  told  how 
one  part  of  the  Greeks  sailed  away  in  their  ships  and  how  others 
with  Odysseus  to  lead  them  were  now  in  the  center  of  Priam's 
City  all  hidden  in  the  great  Wooden  Horse  which  the  Trojans 
themselves  had  dragged  across  their  broken  wall.  So  the 
Wooden  Horse  stood,  and  the  people  gathered  around  talked  of 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  155 

what  should  be  done  with  so  wonderful  a  thing  —  whether  to 
break  open  its  timbers,  or  drag  it  to  a  steep  hill  and  hurl  it  down 
on  the  rocks,  or  leave  it  there  as  an  offering  to  the  gods.  As  an 
offering  to  the  gods  it  was  left  at  last.  Then  the  minstrel  sang 
how  Odysseus  and  his  comrades  poured  forth  from  the  hollow 
of  the  horse  and  took  the  City. 

As  the  minstrel  sang,  the  heart  of  Odysseus  melted  within  him 
and  tears  fell  down  his  cheeks.  None  of  the  company  saw  him 
weeping  except  Alcinous  the  King.  But  the  King  cried  out  to 
the  company  saying,  'Let  the  minstrel  cease,  for  there  is  one 
amongst  us  to  whom  his  song  is  not  pleasing.  Ever  since  it 
began  the  stranger  here  has  wept  with  tears  flowing  down  his 
cheeks.' 

The  minstrel  ceased,  and  all  the  company  looked  in  surprise  at 
Odysseus,  who  sat  with  his  head  bowed  and  his  mantle  wrapped 
around  his  head.  Why  did  he  weep?  each  man  asked.  No 
one  had  asked  of  him  his  name,  for  each  thought  it  was  more 
noble  to  serve  a  stranger  without  knowing  his  name. 

Said  the  King,  speaking  again,  'In  a  brother's  place  stands 
the  stranger  and  the  suppliant,  and  as  a  brother  art  thou  to  us, 
O  unknown  guest.  But  wilt  thou  not  be  brotherly  to  us  ?  Tell 
us  by  what  name  they  call  thee  in  thine  own  land.  Tell  us,  too, 
of  thy  land  and  thy  city.  And  tell  us,  too,  where  thou  wert  borne 
on  thy  wanderings,  and  to  what  lands  and  peoples  thou  earnest. 
And  as  a  brother  tell  us  why  thou  dost  weep  and  mourn  in  spirit 
over  the  tale  of  the  going  forth  of  the  Greeks  to  the  war  of  Troy. 


156 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


Didst  thou  have  a  kinsman  who  fell  before  Priam's  City  —  a 
daughter's  husband,  or  a  wife's  father,  or  someone  nearer  by 
blood?  Or  didst  thou  have  a  loving  friend  who  fell  there 
—  one  with  an  understanding  heart  who  wast  to  thee  as  a 
brother  ?  ' 

Such  questions  the  King  asked,  and  Odysseus  taking  the 
mantle  from  around  his  head  turned  round  to  the  company. 

IV 

HEN  Odysseus  spoke  before  the  company 
and  said,  'O  Alcinous,  famous  King,  it  is 
good  to  listen  to  a  minstrel  such  as  Demo- 
docus  is.  And  as  for  me,  I  know  of  no 
greater  delight  than  when  men  feast  to- 
gether with  open  hearts,  when  tables  are 
plentifully  spread,  when  wine-bearers  pour 
out  good  wine  into  cups,  and  when  a  minstrel  sings  to  them 
noble  songs.  This  seems  to  me  to  be  happiness  indeed.  But 
thou  hast  asked  me  to  speak  of  my  wanderings  and  my  toils. 
Ah,  where  can  I  begin  that  tale?  For  the  gods  have  given 
me  more  woes  than  a  man  can  speak  of ! ' 

'But  first  of  all  I  will  declare  to  you  my  name  and  my  country. 
I  am  Odysseus,  son  of  Laertes,  and  my  land  is  Ithaka,  an 
island  around  which  many  islands  lie.  Ithaka  is  a  rugged  isle, 
but  a  good  nurse  of  hardy  men,  and  I,  for  one,  have  found  that 
there  is  no  place  fairer  than  a  man's  own  land.     But  now  I 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  157 

will  tell  thee.  King,  and  tell  the  Princes  and  Captains  and 
Councillors  of  the  Phceacians,  the  tale  of  my  wanderings.' 

'The  wind  bore  my  ships  from  the  coast  of  Troy,  and  with 
our  white  sails  hoisted  we  came  to  the  cape  that  is  called  Malea. 
Now  if  we  had  been  able  to  double  this  cape  we  should  soon  have 
come  to  our  own  country,  all  unhurt.  But  the  north  wind  came 
and  swept  us  from  our  course  and  drove  us  wandering  past 
Cythera.' 

'Then  for  nine  days  we  were  borne  onward  by  terrible  winds, 
and  away  from  all  known  lands.  On  the  tenth  day  we  came  to 
a  strange  country.  Many  of  my  men  landed  there.  The  people 
of  that  land  were  harmless  and  friendly,  but  the  land  itself  was 
most  dangerous.  For  there  grew  there  the  honey-sweet  fruit 
of  the  lotus  that  makes  all  men  forgetful  of  their  past  and 
neglectful  of  their  future.  And  those  of  my  men  who  ate 
the  lotus  that  the  dwellers  of  that  land  offered  them  became 
forgetful  of  their  country  and  of  the  way  before  them.  They 
wanted  to  abide  forever  in  the  land  of  the  lotus.  They  wept  when 
they  thought  of  all  the  toils  before  them  and  of  all  they  had  en- 
dured. I  led  them  back  to  the  ships,  and  I  had  to  place  them 
beneath  the  benches  and  leave  them  in  bonds.  And  I  commanded 
those  who  had  ate  of  the  lotus  to  go  at  once  aboard  the  ships. 
Then,  when  I  had  got  all  my  men  upon  the  ships,  we  made  haste 
to  sail  away.' 

'Later  we  came  to  the  land  of  the  Cyclopes,  a  giant  people. 
There  is  a  waste  island  outside  the  harbour  of  their  land,  and  on 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


159 


it  there  is  a  well  of  bright  water  that  has  poplars  growing  round 
it.  We  came  to  that  empty  island,  and  we  beached  our  ships 
and  took  down  our  sails.' 

'  As  soon  as  the  dawn  came  we  went  through  the  empty  island, 
starting  the  wild  goats  that  were  there  in  flocks,  and  shooting 
them  with  our  arrows.  We  killed  so  many  wild  goats  there 
that  we  had  nine  for  each  ship.  Afterwards  we  looked  across 
to  the  land  of  the  Cyclopes,  and  we  heard  the  sound  of  voices 
and  saw  the  smoke  of  fires  and  heard  the  bleating  of  flocks  of 
sheep  and  goats.' 

'I  called  my  companions  together  and  I  said,  "It  would  be 
well  for  some  of  us  to  go  to  that  other  island.  With  my  own 
ship  and  with  the  company  that  is  on  it  I  shall  go  there.  The 
rest  of  you  abide  here.  I  will  find  out  what  manner  of  men  live 
there,  and  whether  they  will  treat  us  kindly  and  give  us  gifts 
that  are  due  to  strangers  — ■  gifts  of  provisions  for  our  voyage."  ' 
E  embarked  and  we  came  to  the  land. 
There  was  a  cave  near  the  sea,  and  round 
the  cave  there  were  mighty  flocks  of 
sheep  and  goats.  I  took  twelve  men  with 
me  and  I  left  the  rest  to  guard  the  ship. 
We  went  into  the  cave  and  found  no 
man  there.  There  were  baskets  filled  with 
cheeses,  and  vessels  of  whey,  and  pails  and  bowls  of  milk.  My 
men  wanted  me  to  take  some  of  the  cheeses  and  drive  off  some 
of  the  lambs  and  kids  and  come  away.     But  this  I  would  not 


160  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

do,  for  I  would  rather  that  he  who  owned  the  stores  would 
give  us  of  his  own  free  will  the  offerings  that  were  due  to 
strangers.' 

'While  we  were  in  the  cave,  he  whose  dwelling  it  was,  returned 
to  it.  He  carried  on  his  shoulder  a  great  pile  of  wood  for  his 
fire.  Never  in  our  lives  did  we  see  a  creature  so  frightful  as 
this  Cyclops  was.  He  was  a  giant  in  size,  and,  what  made  him 
terrible  to  behold,  he  had  but  one  eye,  and  that  single  eye  was 
in  his  forehead.  He  cast  down  on  the  ground  the  pile  of  wood 
that  he  carried,  making  such  a  din  that  we  fled  in  terror  into  the 
corners  and  recesses  of  the  cave.  Next  he  drove  his  flocks  into 
the  cave  and  began  to  milk  his  ewes  and  goats.  And  when  he 
had  the  flocks  within,  he  took  up  a  stone  that  not  all  our  strengths 
could  move  and  set  it  as  a  door  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave.' 

'  The  Cyclops  kindled  his  fire,  and  when  it  blazed  up  he  saw 
us  in  the  corners  and  recesses.  He  spoke  to  us.  We  knew  not 
what  he  said,  but  our  hearts  were  shaken  with  terror  at  the 
sound  of  his  deep  voice.' 

'I  spoke  to  him  saying  that  we  were  Agamemnon's  men  on 
our  way  home  from  the  taking  of  Priam's  City,  and  I  begged 
him  to  deal  with  us  kindly,  for  the  sake  of  Zeus  who  is  ever  in 
the  company  of  strangers  and  suppliants.  But  he  answered  me 
saying,  "We  Cyclopes  pay  no  heed  to  Zeus,  nor  to  any  of  thy 
gods.  In  our  strength  and  our  power  we  deem  that  we  are 
mightier  than  they.  I  will  not  spare  thee,  neither  will  I  give 
thee  aught  for  the  sake  of  Zeus,  but  only  as  my  own  spirit  bids 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  161 

me.  And  first  I  would  have  thee  tell  me  how  you  came  to  oui 
land.'" 

'  I  knew  it  would  be  better  not  to  let  the  Cyclops  know  that 
my  ship  and  my  companions  were  at  the  harbour  of  the  island. 
Therefore  I  spoke  to  him  guilefully,  telling  him  that  my  ship  had 
been  broken  on  the  rocks,  and  that  I  and  the  men  with  me  were 
the  only  ones  who  had  escaped  utter  doom.' 

'I  begged  again  that  he  would  deal  with  us  as  just  men  deal 
with  strangers  and  suppliants,  but  he,  without  saying  a  word, 
laid  hands  upon  two  of  my  men,  and  swinging  them  by  the  legs, 
dashed  their  brains  out  on  the  earth.  He  cut  them  to  pieces 
and  ate  them  before  our  very  eyes.  We  wept  and  we  prayed  to 
Zeus  as  we  witnessed  a  deed  so  terrible.' 

'Next  the  Cyclops  stretched  himself  amongst  his  sheep  and 
went  to  sleep  beside  the  fire.  Then  I  debated  whether  I  should 
take  my  sharp  sword  in  my  hand,  and  feeling  where  his  heart 
was,  stab  him  there.  But  second  thoughts  held  me  back  from 
doing  this.  I  might  be  able  to  kill  him  as  he  slept,  but  not  even 
with  my  companions  could  I  roll  away  the  great  stone  that 
closed  the  mouth  of  the  cave.' 

'Dawn  came,  and  the  Cyclops  awakened,  kindled  his  fire  and 
milked  his  flocks.  Then  he  seized  two  others  of  my  men  and 
made  ready  for  his  mid-day  meal.  And  now  he  rolled  away  the 
great  stone  and  drove  his  flocks  out  of  the  cave.' 

CI  had  pondered  on  a  way  of  escape,  and  I  had  thought  of 
something  that  might  be  done  to  baffle  the  Cyclops.     I  had  with 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  163 

me  a  great  skin  of  sweet  wine,  and  I  thought  that  if  I  could  make 
him  drunken  with  wine  I  and  my  companions  might  be  able  for 
him.  But  there  were  other  preparations  to  be  made  first.  On 
the  floor  of  the  cave  there  was  a  great  beam  of  olive  wood  which 
the  Cyclops  had  cut  to  make  a  club  when  the  wood  should  be 
seasoned.  It  was  yet  green.  I  and  my  companions  went  and 
cut  off  a  fathom's  length  of  the  wood,  and  sharpened  it  to  a  point 
and  took  it  to  the  fire  and  hardened  it  in  the  glow.  Then  I  hid 
the  beam  in  a  recess  of  the  cave.' 

'The  Cyclops  came  back  in  the  evening,  and  opening  up  the 
cave  drove  in  his  flocks.  Then  he  closed  the  cave  again  with 
the  stone  and  went  and  milked  his  ewes  and  his  goats.  Again 
he  seized  two  of  my  companions.  I  went  to  the  terrible  creature 
with  a  bowl  of  wine  in  my  hands.  He  took  it  and  drank  it  and 
cried  out,  "  Give  me  another  bowl  of  this,  and  tell  me  thy  name 
that  I  may  give  thee  gifts  for  bringing  me  this  honey-tasting 
drink.'" 

'Again  I  spoke  to  him  guilefully  and  said,  "Noman  is  my 
name.     Noman  my  father  and  my  mother  call  me."  ' 

"'Give  me  more  of  the  drink,  Noman,"  he  shouted.  "And 
the  gift  that  I  shall  give  to  thee  is  that  I  shall  make  thee  the  last 
of  thy  fellows  to  be  eaten."  ' 

'  I  gave  him  wine  again,  and  when  he  had  taken  the  third  bowl 
he  sank  backwards  with  his  face  upturned,  and  sleep  came  upon 
him.  Then  I,  with  four  companions,  took  that  beam  of  olive 
wood,  now  made  into  a  hard  and  pointed  stake,  and  thrust  it  into 


164  THE   ADVENTURES   OF   ODYSSEUS 

the  ashes  of  the  fire.  When  the  pointed  end  began  to  glow  we 
drew  it  out  of  the  flame.  Then  I  and  my  companions  laid  hold 
on  the  great  stake  and,  dashing  at  the  Cyclops,  thrust  it  into  his 
eye.  He  raised  a  terrible  cry  that  made  the  rocks  ring  and  we 
dashed  away  into  the  recesses  of  the  cave.' 

IS  cries  brought  other  Cyclopes  to  the 
mouth  of  the  cave,  and  they,  naming  him 
as  Polyphemus,  called  out  and  asked  him 
what  ailed  him  to  cry.  "Noman,"  he 
shrieked  out,  "Noman  is  slaying  me  by 
guile."  They  answered  him  saying,  "If 
no  man  is  slaying  thee,  there  is  nothing  we 
can  do  for  thee,  Polyphemus.  What  ails  thee  has  been  sent  to 
thee  by  the  gods."  Saying  this,  they  went  away  from  the 
mouth  of  the  cave  without  attempting  to  move  away  the  stone.' 
'Polyphemus  then,  groaning  with  pain,  rolled  away  the  stone 
and  sat  before  the  mouth  of  the  cave  with  his  hands  outstretched, 
thinking  that  he  would  catch  us  as  we  dashed  out.  I  showed  my 
companions  how  we  might  pass  by  him.  I  laid  hands  on  certain 
rams  of  the  flock  and  I  lashed  three  of  them  together  with  supple 
rods.  Then  on  the  middle  ram  I  put  a  man  of  my  company. 
Thus  every  three  rams  carried  a  man.  As  soon  as  the  dawn  had 
come  the  rams  hastened  out  to  the  pasture,  and,  as  they  passed, 
Polyphemus  laid  hands  on  the  first  and  the  third  of  each  three 
that  went  by.  They  passed  out  and  Polyphemus  did  not  guess 
that  a  ram  that  he  did  not  touch  carried  out  a  man.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  165 

'  For  myself,  I  took  a  ram  that  was  the  strongest  and  fleeciest 
of  the  whole  flock  and  I  placed  myself  under  him,  clinging  to 
the  wool  of  his  belly.  As  this  ram,  the  best  of  all  his  flock, 
went  by,  Polyphemus,  laying  his  hands  upon  him,  said,  "  Would 
that  you,  the  best  of  my  flock,  were  endowed  with  speech,  so 
that  you  might  tell  me  where  Noman,  who  has  blinded  me, 
has  hidden  himself."  The  ram  went  by  him,  and  when  he  had 
gone  a  little  way  from  the  cave  I  loosed  myself  from  him  and 
went  and  set  my  companions  free.' 

'We  gathered  together  many  of  Polyphemus'  sheep  and  we 
drove  them  down  to  our  ship.  The  men  we  had  left  behind 
would  have  wept  when  they  heard  what  had  happened  to  six  of 
their  companions.  But  I  bade  them  take  on  board  the  sheep 
we  had  brought  and  pull  the  ship  away  from  that  land.  Then 
when  we  had  drawn  a  certain  distance  from  the  shore  I  could 
not  forbear  to  shout  my  taunts  into  the  cave  of  Polyphemus. 
"  Cyclops,"  I  cried,  "  you  thought  that  you  had  the  company 
of  a  fool  and  a  weakling  to  eat.  But  you  have  been  worsted  by 
me,  and  your  evil  deeds  have  been  punished."  ' 

1  So  I  shouted,  and  Polyphemus  came  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave 
with  great  anger  in  his  heart.  He  took  up  rocks  and  cast  them 
at  the  ship  and  they  fell  before  the  prow.  The  men  bent  to  the 
oars  and  pulled  the  ship  away  or  it  would  have  been  broken  by  the 
rocks  he  cast.    And  when  we  were  further  away  I  shouted  to  him : 

'  "  Cyclops,  if  any  man  should  ask  who  it  was  set  Iris  mark 
upon  you,  say  that  he  was  Odysseus,  the  son  of  Laertes."  ' 


AND   THE  TALE   OF  TROY 


167 


'  Then  I  heard  Polyphemus  cry  out,  "I  call  upon  Poseidon,  the 
god  of  the  sea,  whose  son  I  am,  to  avenge  me  upon  you,  Odys- 
seus. I  call  upon  Poseidon  to  grant  that  you,  Odysseus,  may 
never  come  to  your  home,  or  if  the  gods  have  ordained  your 
return,  that  you  come  to  it  after  much  toil  and  suffering,  in  an 
evil  plight  and  in  a  stranger's  ship,  to  find  sorrow  in  your  home." ' 

'So  Polyphemus  prayed,  and,  to  my  evil  fortune,  Poseidon 
heard  his  prayer.  But  we  went  on  in  our  ship  rejoicing  at  our 
escape.  We  came  to  the  waste  island  where  my  other  ships 
were.  All  the  company  rejoiced  to  see  us,  although  they  had  to 
mourn  for  their  six  companions  slain  by  Polyphemus.  We 
divided  amongst  the  ships  the  sheep  we  had  taken  from  Polyphe- 
mus' flock  and  we  sacrificed  to  the  gods.  At  the  dawn  of  the 
next  day  we  raised  the  sails  on  each  ship  and  we  sailed  away.' 


Winds 
month, 
not  try 


W^W "  TflE  came  to  the  Island  where  iEolus,  the  Lord 

%   M  I    ()1"  t^e  Winds,  he  wno  can  §iye  mariners 

\^/ W      a  good  or  a  bad  wind,  has  his  dwelling. 

A*     v        With  his  six  sons  and  his  six  daughters 

iEolus  lives  on  a  floating  island  that  has 

all  around  it  a  wall  of  bronze.    And  when 

we  came  to  his  island,  the  Lord  of  the 

treated  us  kindly  and  kept  us  at  his  dwelling  for  a 

Now  when  the  time  came  for  us  to  leave,  ^Eolus  did 

to  hold  us  on  the  island.     And  to  me,  when  I  was  going 


168  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

down  to  the  ships,  he  gave  a  bag  made  from  the  hide  of  an  ox, 
and  in  that  bag  were  all  the  winds  that  blow.  He  made  the 
mouth  of  the  bag  fast  with  a  silver  thong,  so  that  no  wind  that 
might  drive  us  from  our  course  could  escape.  Then  he  sent  the 
West  Wind  to  blow  on  our  sails  that  we  might  reach  our  own 
land  as  quickly  as  a  ship  might  go.' 

'For  nine  days  we  sailed  with  the  West  Wind  driving  us,  and 
on  the  tenth  day  we  came  in  sight  of  Ithaka,  our  own  land.  We 
saw  its  coast  and  the  beacon  fires  upon  the  coast  and  the  people 
tending  the  fires.  Then  I  thought  that  the  curse  of  the  Cyclops 
was  vain  and  could  bring  no  harm  to  us.  Sleep  that  I  had  kept 
from  me  for  long  I  let  weigh  me  down,  and  I  no  longer  kept 
watch.' 

'Then  even  as  I  slept,  the  misfortune  that  I  had  watched 
against  fell  upon  me.  For  now  my  men  spoke  together  and 
said,  "  There  is  our  native  land,  and  we  come  back  to  it  after 
ten  years'  struggles  and  toils,  with  empty  hands.  Different  it 
is  with  our  lord,  Odysseus.  He  brings  gold  and  silver  from 
Priam's  treasure-chamber  in  Troy.  And  ^Eolus  too  has  given 
him  a  treasure  in  an  ox-hide  bag.  But  let  us  take  something 
out  of  that  bag  while  he  sleeps." ' 

'  So  they  spoke,  and  they  unloosed  the  mouth  of  the  bag,  and 
behold !  all  the  winds  that  were  tied  in  it  burst  out.  Then  the 
winds  drove  our  ship  towards  the  high  seas  and  away  from  our 
land.  What  became  of  the  other  ships  I  know  not.  I  awoke 
and  I  found  that  we  were  being  driven  here  and  there  by  the 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


169 


winds.  I  did  not  know  whether  I  should  spring  into  the  sea  and 
so  end  all  my  troubles,  or  whether  I  should  endure  this  terrible 
misfortune.  I  muffled  my  head  in  my  cloak  and  lay  on  the  deck 
of  my  ship.' 

'The  winds  brought  us  back  again  to  the  floating  Island.  We 
landed  and  I  went  to  the  dwelling  of  the  Lord  of  the  Winds.  I 
sat  by  the  pillars  of  his  threshold  and  he  came  out  and  spoke  to 
me.  "  How  now,  Odysseus?  "  said  he.  "  How  is  it  thou  hast 
returned  so  soon  ?  Did  I  not  give  thee  a  fair  wind  to  take  thee 
to  thine  own  country,  and  did  I  not  tie  up  all  the  winds  that 
might  be  contrary  to  thee?  "  ' 

'  "My  evil  companions,"  I  said,  "have  been  my  bane.  They 
have  undone  all  the  good  that  thou  didst  for  me,  O  King  of  the 
Winds.  They  opened  the  bag  and  let  all  the  winds  fly  out. 
And  now  help  me,  O  Lord  iEolus,  once  again."  ' 

'But  ^Eolus  said  to  me,  "  Far  be  it  from  me  to  help  such  a 
man  as  thou  —  a  man  surely  accursed  by  the  gods.  Go  from  my 
Island,  for  nothing  will  I  do  for  thee."  Then  I  went  from  his 
dwelling  and  took  my  way  down  to  the  ship.' 

E  sailed  away  from  the  Island  of  ^Eolus 
with  heavy  hearts.  Next  we  came  to  the 
iEean  Island,  where  we  met  with  Circe, 
the  Enchantress.  For  two  days  and  two 
nights  we  were  on  that  island  without 
seeing  the  sign  of  a  habitation.  On  the 
third  day  I  saw   smoke   rising   up  from 


i7o  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

some  hearth.  I  spoke  of  it  to  my  men,  and  it  seemed  good 
to  us  that  part  of  our  company  should  go  to  see  were  there 
people  there  who  might  help  us.  We  drew  lots  to  find  out 
who  should  go,  and  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  Eurylochus  to  go 
with  part  of  the  company,  while  I  remained  with  the  other 
part. ' 

'So  Eurylochus  went  with  two  and  twenty  men.  In  the 
forest  glades  they  came  upon  a  house  built  of  polished  stones. 
All  round  that  house  wild  beasts  roamed  —  wolves  and  lions. 
But  these  beasts  were  not  fierce.  As  Eurylochus  and  his  men 
went  towards  the  house  the  lions  and  wolves  fawned  upon  them 
like  house  dogs.' 

'But  the  men  were  affrighted  and  stood  round  the  outer  gate 
of  the  court.  They  heard  a  voice  within  the  house  singing,  and 
it  seemed  to  them  to  be  the  voice  of  a  woman,  singing  as  she  went 
to  and  fro  before  a  web  she  was  weaving  on  a  loom.  The  men 
shouted,  and  she  who  had  been  singing  opened  the  polished  doors 
and  came  out  of  the  dwelling.  She  was  very  fair  to  see.  As 
she  opened  the  doors  of  the  house  she  asked  the  men  to  come 
within  and  they  went  into  her  halls.' 

'But  Eurylochus  tarried  behind.  He  watched  the  woman 
and  he  saw  her  give  food  to  the  men.  But  he  saw  that  she 
mixed  a  drug  with  what  she  gave  them  to  eat  and  with  the  wine 
she  gave  them  to  drink.  No  sooner  had  they  eaten  the  food  and 
drunk  the  wine  than  she  struck  them  with  a  wand,  and  behold ! 
the  men  turned  into  swine.     Then  the  woman  drove  them  out 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  171 

of  the  house  and  put  them  in  the  swine-pens  and  gave 
them  acorns  and  mast  and  the  fruit  of  the  cornel  tree  tc 
eat.' 

'Eurylochus,  when  he  saw  these  happenings,  ran  back  through 
the  forest  and  told  me  all.  Then  I  cast  about  my  shoulder  my 
good  sword  of  bronze,  and,  bidding  Eurylochus  stay  by  the 
ships,  I  went  through  the  forest  and  came  to  the  house  of  the 
enchantress.  I  stood  at  the  outer  court  and  called  out.  Then 
Circe  the  Enchantress  flung  wide  the  shining  doors,  and  called 
to  me  to  come  within.  I  entered  her  dwelling  and  she  brought 
me  to  a  chair  and  put  a  footstool  under  my  feet.  Then  she 
brought  me  in  a  golden  cup  the  wine  into  which  she  had  cast  a 
harmful  drug.' 

'As  she  handed  me  the  cup  I  drew  my  sword  and  sprang  at 
her  as  one  eager  to  slay  her.  She  shrank  back  from  me  and 
cried  out,  "  Who  art  thou  who  art  able  to  guess  at  my  enchant- 
ments? Verily,  thou  art  Odysseus,  of  whom  Hermes  told  me. 
Nay,  put  up  thy  sword  and  let  us  two  be  friendly  to  each  other. 
In  all  things  I  will  treat  thee  kindly."  ' 

'But  I  said  to  her,  "  Nay,  Circe,  you  must  swear  to  me  first 
that  thou  wilt  not  treat  me  guilefully."  ' 

'  She  swore  by  the  gods  that  she  would  not  treat  me  guilefully, 
and  I  put  up  my  sword.  Then  the  handmaidens  of  Circe  pre- 
pared a  bath,  and  I  bathed  and  rubbed  myself  with  olive  oil,  and 
Circe  gave  me  a  new  mantle  and  doublet.  The  handmaidens 
brought  out  silver  tables,  and  on  them  set  golden  baskets  with 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  173 

bread  and  meat  in  them,  and  others  brought  cups  of  honey- 
tasting  wine.  I  sat  before  a  silver  table  but  I  had  no  pleasure 
in  the  food  before  me.' 

'When  Circe  saw  me  sitting  silent  and  troubled  she  said, 
''Why,  Odysseus,  dost  thou  sit  like  a  speechless  man?  Dost 
thou  think  there  is  a  drug  in  this  food?  But  I  have  sworn  that 
I  will  not  treat  thee  guilefully,  and  that  oath  I  shall  keep.'" 

'And  I  said  to  her,  "  O  Circe,  Enchantress,  what  man  of  good 
heart  could  take  meat  and  drink  while  his  companions  are  as 
swine  in  swine-pens  ?  If  thou  wouldst  have  me  eat  and  drink, 
first  let  me  see  my  companions  in  their  own  forms." ' 

'  Circe,  when  she  heard  me  say  this,  went  to  the  swine-pen  and 
anointed  each  of  the  swine  that  was  there  with  a  charm.  As  she 
did,  the  bristles  dropped  away  and  the  limbs  of  the  man  were 
seen.  My  companions  became  men  again,  and  were  even  taller 
and  handsomer  than  they  had  been  before.' 

'After  that  we  lived  on  Circe's  island  in  friendship  with  the 
enchantress.  She  did  not  treat  us  guilefully  again  and  we 
feasted  in  her  house  for  a  year.' 

'But  in  all  of  us  there  was  a  longing  to  return  to  our  own 
land.  And  my  men  came  to  me  and  craved  that  I  should  ask 
Circe  to  let  us  go  on  our  homeward  way.  She  gave  us  leave 
to  go  and  she  told  us  of  the  many  dangers  we  should  meet  on 
our  voyage.' 


174 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


VI 


HEN  the  sun  sank  and  darkness  came  on, 
my  men  went  to  lie  by  the  hawsers  of  the 
ship.  Then  Circe  the  Enchantress  took 
my  hand,  and,  making  me  sit  down  by 
her,  told  me  of  the  voyage  that  was  be- 
fore us.' 

'  "To  the  Sirens  first  you  shall  come," 
said  she,  "  to  the  Sirens,  who  sit  in  their  field  of  flowers  and 
bewitch  all  men  who  come  near  them.  He  who  comes  near 
the  Sirens  without  knowing  their  ways  and  hears  the  sound 
of  their  voices  —  never  again  shall  that  man  see  wife  or  child, 
or  have  joy  of  his  home-coming.  All  round  where  the  Sirens 
sit  are  great  heaps  of  the  bones  of  men.  But  I  will  tell  thee, 
Odysseus,  how  thou  mayst  pass  them."' 

'  "When  thou  comest  near  put  wax  over  the  ears  of  thy  com- 
pany lest  any  of  them  hear  the  Sirens'  song.  But  if  thou  thyself 
art  minded  to  hear,  let  thy  company  bind  thee  hand  and  foot 
to  the  mast.  And  if  thou  shalt  beseech  them  to  loose  thee, 
then  must  they  bind  thee  with  tighter  bonds.  When  thy  com- 
panions have  driven  the  ship  past  where  the  Sirens  sing  then 
thou  canst  be  unbound."' 

'"Past  where  the  Sirens  sit  there  is  a  dangerous  place  indeed. 
On  one  side  there  are  great  rocks  which  the  gods  call  the  Rocks 
Wandering.     No  ship  ever  escapes  that  goes  that  way.     And 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  175 

round  these  rocks  the  planks  of  ships  and  the  bodies  of  men  are 
tossed  by  waves  of  the  sea  and  storms  of  fire.  One  ship  only 
ever  passed  that  way,  Jason's  ship,  the  Argo,  and  that  ship 
would  have  been  broken  on  the  rocks  if  Hera  the  goddess  had 
not  helped  it  to  pass,  because  of  her  love  for  the  hero  Jason."  ' 

'  "  On  the  other  side  of  the  Rocks  Wandering  are  two  peaks 
through  which  thou  wilt  have  to  take  thy  ship.  One  peak  is 
smooth  and  sheer  and  goes  up  to  the  clouds  of  heaven.  In  the 
middle  of  it  there  is  a  cave,  and  that  cave  is  the  den  of  a  monster 
named  Scylla.  This  monster  has  six  necks  and  on  each  neck 
there  is  a  hideous  head.  She  holds  her  heads  over  the  gulf, 
seeking  for  prey  and  yelping  horribly.  No  ship  has  ever  passed 
that  way  without  Scylla  seizing  and  carrying  off  in  each  mouth 
of  her  six  heads  the  body  of  a  man."  ' 

'"The  other  peak  is  near.  Thou  couldst  send  an  arrow 
across  to  it  from  Scylla's  den.  Out  of  the  peak  a  fig  tree  grows, 
and  below  that  fig  tree  Charybdis  has  her  den.  She  sits  there 
sucking  down  the  water  and  spouting  it  forth.  Mayst  thou  not 
be  near  when  she  sucks  the  water  down,  for  then  nothing  could 
save  thee.  Keep  nearer  to  Scylla's  than  to  Charybdis's  rock. 
It  is  better  to  lose  six  of  your  company  than  to  lose  thy 
ship  and  all  thy  company.  Keep  near  Scylla's  rock  and  drive 
right  on."  ' 

'  "  If  thou  shouldst  win  past  the  deadly  rocks  guarded  by 
Scylla  and  Charybdis  thou  wilt  come  to  the  Island  of  Thrinacia. 
There  the  Cattle  of  the  Sun  graze  with  immortal  nymphs  to 


176  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

guard  them.  If  thou  comest  to  that  Island,  do  no  hurt  to  those 
herds.  If  thou  doest  hurt  to  them  I  foresee  ruin  for  thy  ship  and 
thy  men,  even  though  thou  thyself  shouldst  escape."  ' 

'So  Circe  spoke  to  me,  and  having  told  me  such  things  she 
took  her  way  up  the  island.  Then  I  went  to  the  ship  and  roused 
my  men.  Speedily  they  went  aboard,  and,  having  taken  their 
seats  upon  the  benches,  struck  the  water  with  their  oars.  Then 
the  sails  were  hoisted  and  a  breeze  came  and  we  sailed  away  from 
the  Isle  of  Circe,  the  Enchantress.' 

'I  told  my  companions  what  Circe  had  told  me  about  the 
Sirens  in  their  field  of  flowers.  I  took  a  great  piece  of  wax  and 
broke  it  and  kneaded  it  until  it  was  soft.  Then  I  covered  the 
ears  of  my  men,  and  they  bound  me  upright  to  the  mast  of  the 
ship.  The  wind  dropped  and  the  sea  became  calm  as  though 
a  god  had  stilled  the  waters.  My  company  took  their  oars 
and  pulled  away.  When  the  ship  was  within  a  man's  shout 
from  the  land  we  had  come  near  the  Sirens  espied  us  and  raised 
their  song.' 

'"Come  hither,  come  hither,  O  Odysseus,"  the  Sirens  sang, 
"stay  thy  bark  and  listen  to  our  song.  None  hath  ever  gone 
this  way  in  his  ship  until  he  hath  heard  from  our  own  lips  the 
voice  sweet  as  a  honeycomb,  and  hath  joy  of  it,  and  gone  on  his 
way  a  wiser  man.  We  know  all  things  — ■  all  the  travail  the 
Greeks  had  in  the  war  of  Troy,  and  we  know  all  that  hereafter 
shall  be  upon  the  earth.  Odysseus,  Odysseus,  come  to  our  field 
of  flowers,  and  hear  the  song  that  we  shall  sing  to  thee." ' 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  177 

'My  heart  was  mad  to  listen  to  the  Sirens.  I  nodded  my 
head  to  the  company  commanding  them  to  unloose  me,  but 
they  bound  me  the  tighter,  and  bent  to  their  oars  and  rowed  on. 
When  we  had  gone  past  the  place  of  the  Sirens  the  men  took 
the  wax  .from  of!  their  ears  and  loosed  me  from  the  mast.' 

UT  no  sooner  had  we  passed  the  Island 
than  I  saw  smoke  arising  and  heard  the 
roaring  of  the  sea.  My  company  threw 
down  their  oars  in  terror.  I  went  amongst 
them  to  hearten  them,  and  I  made  them 
remember  how,  by  my  device,  we  had 
escaped  from  the  Cave  of  the  Cyclops. 
I  told  them  nothing  of  the  monster  Scylla,  lest  the  fear  of  her 
should  break  their  hearts.  And  now  we  began  to  drive  through 
that  narrow  strait.  On  one  side  was  Scylla  and  on  the  other 
Charybdis.  Fear  gripped  the  men  when  they  saw  Charybdis 
gulping  down  the  sea.  But  as  we  drove  by,  the  monster  Scylla 
seized  six  of  my  company  —  the  hardiest  of  the  men  who  were 
with  me.  As  they  were  lifted  up  in  the  mouths  of  her  six  heads 
they  called  to  me  in  their  agony.  ■  But  I  could  do  nothing  to  aid 
them.  They  were  carried  up  to  be  devoured  in  the  monster's 
den.  Of  all  the  sights  I  have  seen  on  the  ways  of  the  water, 
that  sight  was  the  most  pitiful.' 

'Having  passed  the  rocks  of  Scylla  and  Charybdis  we  came 
to  the  Island  of  Thrinacia.  While  we  were  yet  on  the  ship  I 
heard  the  lowing  of  the  Cattle  of  the  Sun.     I  spoke  to  my  com- 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  179 

pany  and  told  them  that  we  should  drive  past  that  Island  and 
not  venture  to  go  upon  it.' 

'The  hearts  of  my  men  were  broken  within  them  at  that 
sentence,  and  Eurylochus  answered  me,  speaking  sadly.' 

'"It  is  easy  for  thee,  O  Odysseus,  to  speak  like  that,  for  thou 
art  never  weary,  and  thou  hast  strength  beyond  measure.  But 
is  thy  heart,  too,  of  iron  that  thou  wilt  not  suffer  thy  companions 
to  set  foot  upon  shore  where  they  may  rest  themselves  from  the 
sea  and  prepare  their  supper  at  their  ease?"  ' 

'  So  Eurylochus  spoke  and  the  rest  of  the  company  joined  in 
what  he  said.  Their  force  was  greater  than  mine.  Then  said 
I,  "Swear  to  me  a  mighty  oath,  one  and  all  of  you,  that  if  we  go 
upon  this  Island  none  of  you  will  slay  the  cattle  out  of  any  herd."  ' 

'They  swore  the  oath  that  I  gave  them.  We  brought  our 
ship  to  a  harbour,  and  landed  near  a  spring  of  fresh  water,  and  the 
men  got  their  supper  ready.  Having  eaten  their  supper  they 
fell  to  weeping  for  they  thought  upon  their  comrades  that  Scylla 
had  devoured.     Then  they  slept.' 

'  The  dawn  came,  but  we  found  that  we  could  not  take  our  ship 
out  of  the  harbour,  for  the  North  Wind  and  the  East  Wind  blew  a 
hurricane.  So  we  stayed  upon  the  Island  and  the  days  and  the 
weeks  went  by.  When  the  corn  we  had  brought  in  the  ship  was 
all  eaten  the  men  went  through  the  island  fishing  and  hunting. 
Little  they  got  to  stay  their  hunger.' 

'  One  day  while  I  slept,  Eurylochus  gave  the  men  a  most  evil 
counsel.     "Every  death,"  he  said,  "is  hateful  to  man,  but  death 


180  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

by  hunger  is  by  far  the  worst.  Rather  than  die  of  hunger 
let  us  drive  off  the  best  cattle  from  the  herds  of  the  Sun.  Then, 
if  the  gods  would  wreck  us  on  the  sea  for  the  deed,  let  them  do  it. 
I  would  rather  perish  on  the  waves  than  die  in  the  pangs  of 
hunger."  ' 

'So  he  spoke,  and  the  rest  of  the  men  approved  of  what  he 
said.  They  slaughtered  them  and  roasted  their  flesh.  It  was 
then  that  I  awakened  from  my  sleep.  As  I  came  down  to  the 
ship  the  smell  of  the  roasting  flesh  came  to  me.  Then  I  knew 
that  a  terrible  deed  had  been  committed  and  that  a  dreadful 
thing  would  befall  all  of  us.' 

1  For  six  days  my  company  feasted  on  the  best  of  the  cattle. 
On  the  seventh  day  the  winds  ceased  to  blow.  Then  we  went 
to  the  ship  and  set  up  the  mast  and  the  sails  and  fared  out  again 
on  the  deep.' 

'But,  having  left  that  island,  no  other  land  appeared,  and  only 
sky  and  sea  were  to  be  seen.  A  cloud  stayed  always  above  our 
ship  and  beneath  that  cloud  the  sea  was  darkened.  The  West 
Wind  came  in  a  rush,  and  the  mast  broke,  and,  in  breaking,  struck 
off  the  head  of  the  pilot,  and  he  fell  straight  down  into  the  sea. 
A  thunderbolt  struck  the  ship  and  the  men  were  swept  from  the 
deck.     Never  a  man  of  my  company  did  I  see  again.' 

'The  West  Wind  ceased  to  blow  but  the  South  Wind  came  and 
it  drove  the  ship  back  on  its  course.  It  rushed  towards  the 
terrible  rocks  of  Scylla  and  Charybdis.  All  night  long  I  was 
borne  on,  and,  at  the  rising  of  the  sun,  I  found  myself  near 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


181 


Charybdis.  My  ship  was  sucked  down.  But  I  caught  the 
branches  of  the  fig  tree  that  grew  out  of  the  rock  and  hung  to  it 
like  a  bat.  There  I  stayed  until  the  timbers  of  my  ship  were 
cast  up  again  by  Charybdis.  I  dropped  down  on  them.  Sitting 
on  the  boards  I  rowed  with  my  hands  and  passed  the  rock  of 
Scylla  without  the  monster  seeing  me.' 

1  Then  for  nine  days  I  was  borne  along  by  the  waves,  and  on 
the  tenth  day  I  came  to  Ogygia  where  the  nymph  Calypso 
dwells.  She  took  me  to  her  dwelling  and  treated  me  kindly. 
But  why  tell  the  remainder  of  my  toils  ?  To  thee,  O  King,  and 
to  thy  noble  wife  I  told  how  I  came  from  Calypso's  Island,  and 
I  am  not  one  to  repeat  a  plain-told  tale.' 


VII 

DYSSEUS  finished,  and  the  company  in 
the  hall  sat  silent,  like  men  enchanted. 
Then  King  Alcinous  spoke  and  said, 
'Never,  as  far  as  we  Phaeacians  are  con- 
cerned, wilt  thou,  Odysseus,  be  driven 
from  thy  homeward  way.  To-morrow  we 
will  give  thee  a  ship  and  an  escort,  and 
we  will  land  thee  in  Ithaka,  thine  own  country.'  The  Princes, 
Captains  and  Councillors,  marvelling  that  they  had  met  the 
renowned  Odysseus,  went  each  to  his  own  home.  When  the 
dawn  had  come,  each  carried  down  to  the  ship  on  which  Odys- 
seus was  to  sail,  gifts  for  him. 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  183 

When  the  sun  was  near  its  setting  they  all  came  back  to  the 
King's  hall  to  take  farewell  of  him.  The  King  poured  out  a  great 
bowl  of  wine  as  an  offering  to  the  gods.  Then  Odysseus  rose  up 
and  placed  in  the  Queen's  hands  a  two-handled  cup,  and  he  said, 
'  Farewell  to  thee,  O  Queen !  Mayst  thou  long  rejoice  in  thy 
house  and  thy  children,  and  in  thy  husband,  Alcinous,  the  re- 
nowned King.' 

He  passed  over  the  threshold  of  the  King's  house,  and  he  went 
down  to  the  ship.  He  went  aboard  and  lay  down  on  the  deck 
on  a  sheet  and  rug  that  had  been  spread  for  him.  Straightway 
the  mariners  took  to  their  oars,  and  hoisted  their  sails,  and  the 
ship  sped  on  like  a  strong  sea-bird.  Odysseus  slept.  And 
lightly  the  ship  sped  on,  bearing  that  man  who  had  suffered  so 
much  sorrow  of  heart  in  passing  through  wars  of  men  and  through 
troublous  seas  —  the  ship  sped  on,  and  he  slept,  and  was  forgetful 
of  all  he  had  passed  through. 

When  the  dawn  came  the  ship  was  near  to  the  Island  of  Ithaka. 
The  mariners  drove  to  a  harbour  near  which  there  was  a  great 
cave.  They  ran  the  ship  ashore  and  lifted  out  Odysseus,  wrapped 
in  the  sheet  and  the  rugs,  and  still  sleeping.  They  left  him  on  the 
sandy  shore  of  his  own  land.  Then  they  took  the  gifts  which 
the  King  and  Queen,  the  Princes,  Captains  and  Councillors  of  the 
Phaeacians  had  given  him,  and  they  set  them  by  an  olive  tree, 
a  little  apart  from  the  road,  so  that  no  wandering  person  might 
come  upon  them  before  Odysseus  had  awakened.  Then  they  went 
back  to  their  ship  and  departed  from  Ithaka  for  their  own  land. 


1 84  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

Odysseus  awakened  on  the  beach  of  his  own  land.  A  mist  lay 
over  all,  and  he  did  not  know  what  land  he  had  come  to.  He 
thought  that  the  Phaeacians  had  left  him  forsaken  on  a  strange 
shore.  As  he  looked  around  him  in  his  bewilderment  he  saw  one 
who  was  like  a  King's  son  approaching. 

Now  the  one  who  came  near  him  was  not  a  young  man,  but 
the  goddess,  Pallas  Athene,  who  had  made  herself  look  like  a 
young  man.  Odysseus  arose,  and  questioned  her  as  to  the  land 
he  had  come  to.  The  goddess  answered  him  and  said,  'This 
is  Ithaka,  a  land  good  for  goats  and  cattle,  a  land  of  woods  and 
wells.' 

Even  as  she  spoke  she  changed  from  the  semblance  of  a  young 
man  and  was  seen  by  Odysseus  as  a  woman  tall  and  fair.  'Dost 
thou  not  know  me,  Pallas  Athene,  the  daughter  of  Zeus,  who 
has  always  helped  thee?'  the  goddess  said.  'I  would  have 
been  more  often  by  thy  side,  only  I  did  not  want  to  go  openly 
against  my  brother,  Poseidon,  the  god  of  the  sea,  whose  son, 
Polyphemus,  thou  didst  blind.' 

As  the  goddess  spoke  the  mist  that  lay  on  the  land  scattered 
and  Odysseus  saw  that  he  was  indeed  in  Ithaka,  his  own  country 

—  he  knew  the  harbour  and  the  cave,  and  the  hill  Neriton  all 
covered  with  its  forest.  And  knowing  them  he  knelt  down  on 
the  ground  and  kissed  the  earth  of  his  country. 

Then  the  goddess  helped  him  to  lay  his  goods  within  the  cave 

—  the  gold  and  the  bronze  and  the  woven  raiment  that  the  Phae- 
acians had  given  him.     She  made  him  sit  beside  her  under  the 


1 86 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


olive  tree  while  she  told  him  of  the  things  that  were  happening 
in  his  house. 

'There  is  trouble  in  thy  halls,  Odysseus,'  she  said,  'and  it 
would  be  well  for  thee  not  to  make  thyself  known  for  a  time. 
Harden  thy  heart,  that  thou  mayest  endure  for  a  while  longer  ill 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  men.'  She  told  him  about  the  wooers 
of  his  wife,  who  filled  his  halls  all  day,  and  wasted  his  substance, 
and  who  would  slay  him,  lest  he  should  punish  them  for  their 
insolence.  'So  that  the  doom  of  Agamemnon  shall  not  befall 
thee  —  thy  slaying  within  thine  own  halls  —  I  will  change  thine 
appearance  that  no  man  shall  know  thee,'  the  goddess  said. 

HEN  she  made  a  change  in  his  appear- 
ance that  would  have  been  evil  but  that 
it  was  to  last  for  a  while  only.  She  made 
his  skin  wither,  and  she  dimmed  his  shin- 
ing eyes.  She  made  his  yellow  hair  grey 
and  scanty.  Then  she  changed  his  rai- 
ment to  a  beggar's  wrap,  torn  and  stained 
with  smoke.  Over  his  shoulder  she  cast  the  hide  of  a  deer,  and 
she  put  into  his  hands  a  beggar's  staff,  with  a  tattered  bag  and 
a  cord  to  hang  it  by.  And  when  she  had  made  this  change  in 
his  appearance  the  goddess  left  Odysseus  and  went  from  Ithaka. 
It  was  then  that  she  came  to  Telemachus  in  Sparta  and  coun- 
selled him  to  leave  the  house  of  Menelaus  and  Helen  ;  and  it  has 
been  told  how  he  went  with  Peisistratus,  the  son  of  Nestor,  and 
came  to  his  own  ship.     His  ship  was  hailed  by  a  man  who  was 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


187 


flying  from  those  who  would  slay  him,  and  this  man  Telemachus 
took  aboard.  The  stranger's  name  was  Theoclymenus,  and  he 
was  a  sooth-sayer  and  a  second-sighted  man. 

And  Telemachus,  returning  to  Ithaka,  was  in  peril  of  his  life. 
The  wooers  of  his  mother  had  discovered  that  he  had  gone  from 
Ithaka  in  a  ship.  Two  of  the  wooers,  Antinous  and  Euryma- 
chus,  were  greatly  angered  at  the  daring  act  of  the  youth.  'He 
has  gone  to  Sparta  for  help,'  Antinous  said,  'and  if  he  finds 
that  there  are  those  who  will  help  him  we  will  not  be  able  to 
stand  against  his  pride.  He  will  make  us  suffer  for  what  we  have 
wasted  in  his  house.  But  let  us  too  act.  I  will  take  a  ship  with 
twenty  men,  and  lie  in  wait  for  him  in  a  strait  between  Ithaka 
and  Samos,  and  put  an  end  to  his  search  for  his  father.' 

Thereupon  Antinous  took  twenty  men  to  a  ship,  and  fixing 
mast  and  sails  they  went  over  the  sea.  There  is  a  little  isle 
between  Ithaka  and  Samos  —  Asteris  it  is  called  —  and  in  the 
harbour  of  that  isle  he  and  his  men  lay  in  wait  for  Telemachus. 


VIII 

EAR  the  place  where  Odysseus  had  landed 
there  lived  an  old  man  who  was  a  faithful 
servant  in  his  house.  Eumaeus  was  his 
name,  and  he  was  a  swineherd.  He  had 
made  for  himself  a  dwelling  in  the  wildest 
part  of  the  island,  and  had  built  a  wall 
round  it,  and  had  made  for  the  swine  pens 


188  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

in  the  courtyard  — ■  twelve  pens,  and  in  each  pen  there  were 
fifty  swine.  Old  Eumaeus  lived  in  this  place  tending  the 
swine  with  three  young  men  to  help  him.  The  swine-pens 
were  guarded  by  four  dogs  that  were  as  fierce  as  the  beasts  of 
the  forest. 

As  he  came  near  the  dogs  dashed  at  him,  yelping  and  snapping ; 
and  Odysseus  might  have  suffered  foul  hurt  if  the  swineherd  had 
not  run  out  of  the  courtyard  and  driven  the  fierce  dogs  away. 
Seeing  before  him  one  who  looked  an  ancient  beggar,  Eumaeus 
said,  '  Old  man,  it  is  well  that  my  dogs  did  not  tear  thee,  for  they 
might  have  brought  upon  me  the  shame  of  thy  death.  I  have 
grief  and  pains  enough,  the  gods  know,  without  such  a  happening. 
Here  I  sit,  mourning  for  my  noble  master,  and  fattening  hogs 
for  others  to  eat,  while  he,  mayhap,  is  wandering  in  hunger 
through  some  friendless  city.  But  come  in,  old  man.  I  have 
bread  and  wine  to  give  thee.' 

The  swineherd  led  the  seeming  beggar  into  the  courtyard,  and 
he  let  him  sit  down  on  a  heap  of  brushwood,  and  spread  for  him 
a  shaggy  goat-skin.  Odysseus  was  glad  of  his  servant's  welcome, 
and  he  said,  'May  Zeus  and  all  the  other  gods  grant  thee  thy 
heart's  dearest  wish  for  the  welcome  that  thou  hast  given  to  me.' 

Said  Eumaeus  the  swineherd,  'A  good  man  looks  on  all  strangers 
and  beggars  as  being  from  Zeus  himself.  And  my  heart's  dearest 
wish  is  that  my  master  Odysseus  should  return.  Ah,  if  Odysseus 
were  here,  he  would  give  me  something  which  I  could  hold  as 
mine  own  —  a  piece  of  ground  to  till,  and  a  wife  to  comfort  me. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  189 

But  my  master  will  not  return,  and  we  thralls  must  go  in  fear 
when  young  lords  come  to  rule  it  over  them.' 

He  went  to  the  swine-pens  and  brought  out  two  sucking  pigs ; 
he  slaughtered  them  and  cut  them  small  and  roasted  the  meat. 
When  all  was  cooked,  he  brought  portions  to  Odysseus  sprinkled 
with  barley  meal,  and  he  brought  him,  too,  wine  in  a  deep  bowl  of 
ivy  wood.  And  when  Odysseus  had  eaten  and  drunken,  Eumaeus 
the  swineherd  said  to  him : 

'Old  man,  no  wanderer  ever  comes  to  this  land  but  that  our 
lady  Penelope  sends  for  him,  and  gives  him  entertainment,  hoping 
that  he  will  have  something  to  tell  her  of  her  lord,  Odysseus. 
They  all  do  as  thou  wouldst  do  if  thou  earnest  to  her  —  tell  her 
a  tale  of  having  seen  or  of  having  heard  of  her  lord,  to  win  her  ear. 
But  as  for  Odysseus,  no  matter  what  wanderers  or  vagrants  say, 
he  will  never  return  —  dogs,  or  wild  birds,  or  the  fishes  of  the  deep 
have  devoured  his  body  ere  this.  Never  again  shall  I  find  so 
good  a  lord,  nor  would  I  find  one  so  kind  even  if  I  were  back  in  my 
own  land,  and  saw  the  faces  of  my  father  and  my  mother.  But 
not  so  much  for  them  do  I  mourn  as  for  the  loss  of  my  master.' 

Said  Odysseus,  'Thou  sayst  that  thy  master  will  never  return, 
but  I  notice  that  thou  art  slow  to  believe  thine  own  words.  Now 
I  tell  thee  that  Odysseus  will  return  and  in  this  same  year.  And 
as  sure  as  the  old  moon  wanes  and  the  young  moon  is  born,  he  will 
take  vengeance  on  those  whom  you  have  spoken  of  —  those  who 
eat  his  substance  and  dishonour  his  wife  and  son.  I  say  that,  and 
I  swear  it  with  an  oath.' 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  191 

'I  do  not  heed  thine  oath/  said  Eumaeus  the  swineherd. 
'I  do  not  listen  to  vagrant's  tales  about  my  master  since  a 
stranger  came  here  and  cheated  us  with  a  story.  He  told  us  that 
he  had  seen  Odysseus  in  the  land  of  the  Cretans,  in  the  house  of 
the  hero  Idomeneus,  mending  his  ships  that  had  been  broken  by 
the  storm,  and  that  he  would  be  here  by  summer  or  by  harvest 
time,  bringing  with  him  much  wealth.' 

As  they  were  speaking  the  younger  swineherds  came  back  from 
the  woods,  bringing  the  drove  of  swine  into  the  courtyard. 
There  was  a  mighty  din  whilst  the  swine  were  being  put  into  their 
pens.  Supper  time  came  on,  and  Eumaeus  and  Odysseus  and 
the  younger  swineherds  sat  down  to  a  meal.  Eumseus  carved 
the  swineflesh,  giving  the  best  portion  to  Odysseus  whom  he 
treated  as  the  guest  of  honour.  And  Odysseus  said,  'Eumseus, 
surely  thou  art  counselled  by  Zeus,  seeing  thou  dost  give  the  best 
of  the  meat  even  to  such  a  one  as  I.' 

And  Eumaeus,  thinking  Odysseus  was  praising  him  for  treating 
a  stranger  kindly,  said,  'Eat,  stranger,  and  make  merry  with  such 
fare  as  is  here.' 

The  night  came  on  cold  with  rain.  Then  Odysseus,  to  test  the 
kindliness  of  the  swineherd,  said,  '  0  that  I  were  young  and  could 
endure  this  bitter  night!  0  that  I  were  better  off!  Then 
would  one  of  you  swineherds  give  me  a  wrap  to  cover  myself 
from  the  wind  and  rain !  But  now,  verily,  I  am  an  outcast  be- 
cause of  my  sorry  raiment.' 

Then  Eumaeus  sprang  up  and  made  a  bed  for  Odysseus  near 


i92  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

the  fire.  Odysseus  lay  down,  and  the  swineherd  covered  him  with 
a  mantle  he  kept  for  a  covering  when  great  storms  should 
arise.  Then,  that  he  might  better  guard  the  swine,  Eumaeus, 
wrapping  himself  up  in  a  cloak,  and  taking  with  him  a  sword  and 
javelin,  to  drive  off  wild  beasts  should  they  come  near,  went  to 
lie  nearer  to  the  pens. 

When  morning  came,  Odysseus  said,  '  I  am  going  to  the  town 
to  beg,  so  that  I  need  take  nothing  more  from  thee.  Send  some- 
one with  me  to  be  a  guide.  I  would  go  to  the  house  of  Odysseus, 
and  see  if  I  can  earn  a  little  from  the  wooers  who  are  there. 
Right  well  could  I  serve  them  if  they  would  take  me  on.  There 
could  be  no  better  serving-man  than  I,  when  it  comes  to  splitting 
faggots,  and  kindling  a  fire  and  carving  meat.' 

'Nay,  nay,'  said  Eumaeus,  'do  not  go  there,  stranger. 
None  here  are  at  a  loss  by  thy  presence.  Stay  until  the  son  of 
Odysseus,  Telemachus,  returns,  and  he  will  do  something  for 
thee.  Go  not  near  the  wooers.  It  is  not  such  a  one  as  thee  that 
they  would  have  to  serve  them.     Stay  this  day  with  us.' 

Odysseus  did  not  go  to  the  town  but  stayed  all  day  with 
Eumaeus.  And  at  night,  when  he  and  Eumaeus  and  the  younger 
swineherds  were  seated  at  the  fire,  Odysseus  said,  'Thou,  too, 
Eumaeus,  hast  wandered  far  and  hast  had  many  sorrows.  Tell 
us  how  thou  earnest  to  be  a  slave  and  a  swineherd.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


193 


THE  STORY  OF  EUM^US  THE  SWINEHERD 


HERE  is,'  said  Eumseus,  'a  certain  island 
over  against  Ortygia.  That  island  has 
two  cities,  and  my  father  was  king  over 
them  both.' 

'  There  came  to  the  city  where  my  father 
dwelt,  a  ship  with  merchants  from  the  land 
of  the  Phoenicians.  I  was  a  child  then, 
and  there  was  in  my  father's  house  a  Phoenician  slave-woman 
who  nursed  me.  Once,  when  she  was  washing  clothes,  one  of  the 
sailors  from  the  Phoenician  ship  spoke  to  her  and  asked  her 
would  she  like  to  go  back  with  them  to  their  own  land.' 

'She  spoke  to  that  sailor  and  told  him  her  story.  "I  am  from 
Sidon  in  the  Phoenician  land,"  she  said,  "and  my  father  was 
named  Artybas,  and  was  famous  for  his  riches.  Sea  robbers 
caught  me  one  day  as  I  was  crossing  the  fields,  and  they  stole  me 
away,  and  brought  me  here,  and  sold  me  to  the  master  of  yonder 
house."  ' 

'Then  the  sailor  said  to  her,  "Your  father  and  mother  are 
still  alive,  I  know,  and  they  have  lost  none  of  their  wealth. 
Wilt  thou  not  come  with  us  and  see  them  again?" ' 

'Then  the  woman  made  the  sailors  swear  that  they  would 
bring  her  safely  to  the  city  of  Sidon.  She  told  them  that  when 
their  ship  was  ready  she  would  come  down  to  it,  and  that  she 
would  bring  what  gold  she  could  lay  her  hands  on  away  from 


i94  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

her  master's  house,  and  that  she  would  also  bring  the  child  whom 
she  nursed.  "He  is  a  wise  child,"  she  said,  "and  you  can  sell 
him  for  a  slave  when  you  come  to  a  foreign  land."  ' 

'When  the  Phoenician  ship  was  ready  to  depart  they  sent  a 
message  to  the  woman.  The  sailor  who  brought  the  message 
brought  too  a  chain  of  gold  with  amber  beads  strung  here  and 
there,  for  my  mother  to  buy.  And,  while  my  mother  and  her 
handmaids  were  handling  the  chain,  the  sailor  nodded  to  the 
woman,  and  she  went  out,  taking  with  her  three  cups  of  gold,  and 
leading  me  by  the  hand.' 

'The  sun  sank  and  all  the  ways  were  darkened.  But  the  Phoe- 
nician woman  went  down  to  the  harbour  and  came  to  the  ship 
and  went  aboard  it.  And  when  the  sailor  who  had  gone  to  my 
father's  house  came  back,  they  raised  the  mast  and  sails,  and  took 
the  oars  in  their  hands,  and  drew  the  ship  away  from  our  land. 
We  sailed  away  and  I  was  left  stricken  at  heart.  For  six  days 
we  sailed  over  the  sea,  and  on  the  seventh  day  the  woman  died 
and  her  body  was  cast  into  the  deep.  The  wind  and  the  waves 
bore  us  to  Ithaka,  and  there  the  merchants  sold  me  to  Laertes, 
the  father  of  Odysseus.' 

'The  wife  of  Laertes  reared  me  kindly,  and  I  grew  up  with  the 
youngest  of  her  daughters,  the  lovely  Ctimene.  But  Ctimene 
went  to  Same,  and  was  married  to  one  of  the  princes  of  that 
island.  Afterwards  Laertes'  lady  sent  me  to  work  in  the  fields. 
But  always  she  treated  me  kindly.  Now  Laertes'  lady  is  dead  — 
she  wasted  away  from  grief  when  she  heard  no  tidings  of  her  only 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


195 


son,  Odysseus.  Laertes  yet  lives,  but  since  the  death  of  his  noble 
wife  he  never  leaves  his  house.  All  day  he  sits  by  his  fire,  they 
say,  and  thinks  upon  his  son's  doom,  and  how  his  son's  sub- 
stance is  being  wasted,  and  how  his  son's  son  will  have  but  little 
to  inherit.' 

So  Odysseus  passed  part  of  the  night,  Eumasus  telling 
him  of  his  wanderings  and  his  sorrows.  And  while  they  were 
speaking,  Telemachus,  the  son  of  Odysseus,  came  to  Ithaka  in  his 
good  ship.  Antinous  had  lain  in  wait  for  him,  and  had  posted 
sentinels  to  watch  for  his  ship ;  nevertheless  Telemachus  had 
passed  by  without  being  seen  by  his  enemies.  And  having  come 
to  Ithaka,  he  bade  one  of  his  comrades  bring  the  ship  into  the 
wharf  of  the  city  while  he  himself  went  to  another  place.  Leav- 
ing the  ship  he  came  to  the  dwelling  of  the  servant  he  most 
trusted  —  to  the  dwelling  of  Eumasus,  the  swineherd. 

IX 

IN  the  morning  of  his  fourth  day  in  Ithaka, 
as  he  and  the  swineherd  were  eating  a 
meal  together,  Odysseus  heard  the  sound 
of  footsteps  approaching  the  hut.  The 
fierce  dogs  were  outside  and  he  expected 
to  hear  them  yelping  against  the  stranger's 
approach.  No  sound  came  from  them. 
Then  he  saw  a  young  man  come  to  the  entrance  of  the  court- 
yard, the  swineherd's  dogs  fawning  upon  him. 


196  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

When  Eumaeus  saw  this  young  man  he  let  fall  the  vessels  he 
was  carrying,  and  running  to  him,  kissed  his  head  and  his  eyes 
and  his  hands.  While  he  was  kissing  and  weeping  over  him, 
Odysseus  heard  the  swineherd  saying : 

'Telemachus,  art  thou  come  back  to  us?  Like  a  light  in  the 
darkness  thou  hast  appeared !  I  thought  that  never  again 
should  we  see  thee  when  I  heard  that  thou  hadst  taken  a  ship  to 
Pylos !  Come  in,  dear  son,  come  in,  that  I  may  see  thee  once 
again  in  mine  house.' 

Odysseus  raised  his  head  and  looked  at  his  son.  As  a  lion 
might  look  over  his  cub  so  he  looked  over  Telemachus.  But 
neither  the  swineherd  nor  Telemachus  was  aware  of  Odysseus' 
gaze. 

'I  have  come  to  see  thee,  friend  Eumaeus,'  said  Telemachus, 
'  for  before  I  go  into  the  City  I  would  know  whether  my  mother 
is  still  in  the  house  of  Odysseus,  or  whether  one  of  the  wooers  has 
at  last  taken  her  as  a  wife  to  his  own  house.' 

'Thy  mother  is  still  in  thy  father's  house,'  Eumaeus  an- 
swered. Then  Telemachus  came  within  the  courtyard.  Odys- 
seus in  the  guise  of  the  old  beggar  rose  from  his  seat,  but  the 
young  man  said  to  him  courteously  :  'Be  seated,  friend.  Another 
seat  can  be  found  for  me.' 

Eumaeus  strewed  green  brushwood  and  spread  a  fleece  upon 
it,  and  Telemachus  seated  himself.  Next  Eumaeus  fetched  a 
meal  for  him  —  oaten  cakes  and  swine  flesh  and  wine.  While 
they  were  eating,  the  swineherd  said  : 


198  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

'We  have  here  a  stranger  who  has  wandered  through  many 
countries,  and  who  has  come  to  my  house  as  a  suppliant.  Wilt 
thou  take  him  for  thy  man,  Telemachus?' 

Said  Telemachus,  '  How  can  I  support  any  man  ?  I  have  not 
the  strength  of  hand  to  defend  mine  own  house.  But  for  this 
stranger  I  will  do  what  I  can.  I  will  give  him  a  mantle  and  doub- 
let, with  shoes  for  his  feet  and  a  sword  to  defend  himself,  and  I 
will  send  him  on  whatever  way  he  wants  to  go.  But,  Eumaeus, 
I  would  not  have  him  go  near  my  father's  house.  The  wooers 
grow  more  insolent  each  day,  and  they  might  mock  the  stranger 
if  he  went  amongst  them.' 

Then  said  Odysseus,  speaking  for  the  first  time,  'Young  sir, 
what  thou  hast  said  seems  strange  to  me.  Dost  thou  willingly 
submit  to  insolence  in  thine  own  father's  house?  But  perhaps 
it  is  that  the  people  of  the  City  hate  thee  and  will  not  help  thee 
against  thine  enemies.  Ah,  if  I  had  such  youth  as  I  have  spirit, 
or  if  I  were  the  son  of  Odysseus,  I  should  go  amongst  them  this 
very  day,  and  make  myself  the  bane  of  each  man  of  them.  I 
would  rather  die  in  mine  own  halls  than  see  such  shame  as  is 
reported  —  strangers  mocked  at,  and  servants  injured,  and  wine 
and  food  wasted.' 

Said  Telemachus,  'The  people  of  the  City  do  not  hate  me,  and 
they  would  help  me  if  they  could.  But  the  wooers  of  my  mother 
are  powerful  men  —  men  to  make  the  City  folk  afraid.  And  if 
I  should  oppose  them  I  would  assuredly  be  slain  in  my  father's 
house,  for  how  could  I  hope  to  overcome  so  many  ? ' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


199 


'What  wouldst  thou  have  me  do  for  thee,  Telemachus?' 
said  the  swineherd. 

'I  would  have  thee  go  to  my  mother,  friend  Eumaeus,'  Tele- 
machus said,  'and  let  her  know  that  I  am  safe-returned  from 
Pylos.' 

Eumaeus  at  once  put  sandals  upon  his  feet  and  took  his  staff 
in  his  hands.  He  begged  Telemachus  to  rest  himself  in  the  hut, 
and  then  he  left  the  courtyard  and  went  towards  the  City. 

Telemachus  lay  down  on  his  seat  and  closed  his  eyes  in  weari- 
ness. He  saw,  while  thinking  that  he  only  dreamt  it,  a  woman 
come  to  the  gate  of  the  courtyard.  She  was  fair  and  tall  and 
splendid,  and  the  dogs  shrank  away  from  her  presence  with  a 
whine.  She  touched  the  beggar  with  a  golden  wand.  As  she 
did,  the  marks  of  age  and  beggary  fell  from  him  and  the  man 
stood  up  as  tall  and  noble  looking. 

'Who  art  thou?'  cried  Telemachus,  starting  up.  'Even 
a  moment  ago  thou  didst  look  aged  and  a  beggar !  Now  thou 
dost  look  a  chief  of  men  !     Art  thou  one  of  the  divine  ones  ? ' 

Odysseus  looked  upon  him  and  said,  'My  son,  do  not  speak 
so  to  me.  I  am  Odysseus,  thy  father.  After  much  suffering 
and  much  wandering  I  have  come  to  my  own  country.'  He 
kissed  his  son  with  tears  flowing  down  his  cheeks,  and  Telemachus 
threw  his  arms  around  his  father's  neck,  but  scarce  believing 
that  the  father  he  had  searched  for  was  indeed  before  him. 

But  no  doubt  was  left  as  Odysseus  talked  to  him,  and  told  him 
how  he  had  come  to  Ithaka  in  a  ship  given  him  by  the  Phaeacians, 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  201 

and  how  he  had  brought  with  him  gifts  of  bronze  and  raiment 
that  were  hidden  in  the  cave,  and  told  him,  too,  how  Pallas  Athene 
had  changed  his  appearance  into  that  of  an  old  beggar. 

And  when  his  own  story  was  finished  he  said,  'Come,  my  son, 
tell  me  of  the  wooers  who  waste  the  substance  of  our  house  — 
tell  me  how  many  they  number,  and  who  they  are,  so  that  we 
may  prepare  a  way  of  dealing  with  them.' 

'Even  though  thou  art  a  great  warrior,  my  father,  thou  and 
I  cannot  hope  to  deal  with  them.  They  have  come,  not  from 
Ithaka  alone,  but  from  all  the  islands  around  —  from  Dulichium 
and  Same  and  Zacynthus.  We  two  cannot  deal  with  such  a 
throng.' 

Said  Odysseus,  'I  shall  make  a  plan  to  deal  with  them.  Go 
thou  home,  and  keep  company  with  the  wooers.  Later  in  the 
day  the  swineherd  will  lead  me  into  the  city,  and  I  shall  go  into 
the  house  in  the  likeness  of  an  old  beggar.  And  if  thou  shouldst 
see  any  of  the  wooers  ill-treat  me,  harden  thine  heart  to  endure 
it  — •  even  if  they  drag  me  by  the  feet  to  the  door  of  the  house, 
keep  quiet  thou.  And  let  no  one  —  not  even  thy  mother, 
Penelope  — ■  nor  my  father  Laertes  —  know  that  Odysseus  hath 
returned.' 

Telemachus  said,  'My  father,  thou  shalt  learn  soon  what 
spirit  is  in  me  and  what  wisdom  I  have.' 

While  they  talked  together  the  ship  that  Antinous  had  taken, 
when  he  went  to  lie  in  wait  for  Telemachus,  returned.  The 
wooers  assembled  and  debated  whether  they  should  kill  Telema- 


202  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

chus,  for  now  there  was  danger  that  he  would  draw  the  people 
to  his  side,  and  so  make  up  a  force  that  could  drive  the  wooers  out 
of  Ithaka.  But  they  did  not  agree  to  kill  him  then,  for  there  was 
one  amongst  them  who  was  against  the  deed. 

Eumaeus  brought  the  news  to  Telemachus  and  Odysseus  of 
the  return  of  Antinous'  ship.  He  came  back  to  the  hut  in  the 
afternoon.  Pallas  Athene  had  again  given  Odysseus  the  appear- 
ance of  an  ancient  beggar-man  and  the  swineherd  saw  no  change 
in  his  guest. 


IT  was  time  for  Telemachus  to  go  into  the 
City.  He  put  his  sandals  on  his  feet,  and 
took  his  spear  in  his  hand,  and  then  speak- 
ing to  the  swineherd  he  said : 

'  Friend  Eumasus,  I  am  now  going  into 
the  City  to  show  myself  to  my  mother,  and 
to  let  her  hear  from  my  own  lips  the  tale 
of  my  journey.  And  I  have  an  order  to  leave  with  thee.  Take 
this  stranger  into  the  City,  that  he  may  go  about  as  he  desires, 
asking  alms  from  the  people.' 

Odysseus  in  the  guise  of  a  beggar  said,  'I  thank  thee,  lord 
Telemachus.  I  would  not  stay  here,  for  I  am  not  of  an  age  to 
wait  about  a  hut  and  courtyard,  obeying  the  orders  of  a  master, 
even  if  that  master  be  as  good  a  man  as  thy  swineherd.  Go  thy 
way,  lord  Telemachus,  and  Eumaeus,  as  thou  hast  bidden  him, 
will  lead  me  into  the  City.' 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  203 

Telemachus  then  passed  out  of  the  courtyard  and  went  the 
ways  until  he  came  into  the  City.  When  he  went  into  the  house, 
the  first  person  he  saw  was  his  nurse,  old  Eurycleia,  who  wel- 
comed him  with  joy.  To  Eurycleia  he  spoke  of  the  guest  who 
had  come  on  his  ship,  Theoclymenus.  He  told  her  that  this 
guest  would  be  in  the  house  that  day,  and  that  he  was  to  be 
treated  with  all  honour  and  reverence.  The  wooers  came  into 
the  hall  and  crowded  around  him,  with  fair  words  in  their  mouths. 
Then  all  sat  down  at  tables,  and  Eurycleia  brought  wheaten 
bread  and  wine  and  dainties. 

Just  at  that  time  Odysseus  and  Eumasus  were  journeying 
towards  the  City.  Odysseus,  in  the  guise  of  a  beggar,  had  a 
ragged  bag  across  his  shoulders  and  he  carried  a  staff  that  the 
swineherd  had  given  him  to  help  him  over  the  slippery  ground. 
They  went  by  a  rugged  path  and  they  came  to  a  place  where  a 
spring  flowed  into  a  basin  made  for  its  water,  and  where  there  was 
an  altar  to  the  Nymphs,  at  which  men  made  offerings. 

As  Eumaeus  and  Odysseus  were  resting  at  the  spring,  a  servant 
from  Odysseus'  house  came  along.  He  was  a  goatherd,  and 
Melanthius  was  his  name.  He  was  leading  a  flock  of  goats  for 
the  wooers  to  kill,  and  when  he  saw  the  swineherd  with  the  seem- 
ing beggar  he  cried  out : 

'Now  we  see  the  vile  leading  the  vile.  Say,  swineherd, 
whither  art  thou  leading  this  wretch  ?  It  is  easy  to  see  the  sort 
of  fellow  he  is !  He  is  the  sort  to  rub  shoulders  against  many 
doorposts,  begging  for  scraps.     Nothing  else  is  he  good  for.     But 


204 


THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 


if  thou  wouldst  give  him  to  me,  swineherd,  I  would  make  him 
watch  my  fields,  and  sweep  out  my  stalls,  and  carry  fresh  water 
to  the  kids.  He'd  have  his  dish  of  whey  from  me.  But  a  fellow 
like  this  doesn't  want  an  honest  job  —  he  wants  to  lounge  through 
the  country,  filling  his  belly,  without  doing  anything  for  the 
people  who  feed  him  up.  If  he  goes  to  the  house  of  Odysseus, 
I  pray  that  he  be  pelted  from  the  door.' 

E  said  all  this  as  he  came  up  to  them  with 
his  flock  of  goats.  And  as  he  went  by  he 
gave  a  kick  to  Odysseus. 

Odysseus  took  thought  whether  he  should 
strike  the  fellow  with  his  staff  or  fling  him 
upon  the  ground.  But  in  the  end  he  hard- 
ened his  heart  to  endure  the  insult,  and  let 
the  goatherd  go  on  his  way.  But  turning  to  the  altar  that  was 
by  the  spring,  he  prayed  : 

'  Nymphs  of  the  Well !  If  ever  Odysseus  made  offerings  to 
you,  fulfil  for  me  this  wish  —  that  he  —  even  Odysseus  —  may 
come  to  his  own  home,  and  have  power  to  chastise  the  insolence 
that  gathers  around  his  house.' 

They  journeyed  on,  and  when  they  came  near  they  heard  the 
sound  of  the  lyre  within  the  house.  The  wooers  were  now  feast- 
ing, and  Phemius  the  minstrel  was  singing  to  them.  And  when 
Odysseus  came  before  his  own  house,  he  caught  the  swineherd  by 
the  hand  suddenly  and  with  a  hard  grip,  and  he  said  : 

'Lo  now,  I  who  have  wandered  in  many  lands  and  have  walked 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  205 

in  pain  through  many  Cities  have  come  at  last  to  the  house  of 
Odysseus.  There  it  is,  standing  as  of  old,  with  building  beyond 
building ;  with  its  walls  and  its  battlements ;  its  courts  and  its 
doors.  The  house  of  Odysseus,  verily !  And  lo !  unwelcome 
men  keep  revel  within  it,  and  the  smoke  of  their  feast  rises  up 
and  the  sound  of  the  lyre  is  heard  playing  for  them.' 

Said  Eumasus,  'What  wilt  thou  have  me  do  for  thee,  friend? 
Shall  I  bring  thee  into  the  hall  and  before  the  company  of  wooers, 
whilst  I  remain  here,  or  wouldst  thou  have  me  go  in  before  thee  ?' 

'I  would  have  thee  go  in  before  me,'  Odysseus  said. 

Now  as  they  went  through  the  courtyard  a  thing  happened 
that  dashed  Odysseus'  eyes  with  tears.  A  hound  lay  in  the  dirt 
of  the  yard,  a  hound  that  was  very  old.  All  uncared  for  he  lay 
in  the  dirt,  old  and  feeble.  But  he  had  been  a  famous  hound,  and 
Odysseus  himself  had  trained  him  before  he  went  to  the  wars  of 
Troy.  Argos  was  his  name.  Now  as  Odysseus  came  near,  the 
hound  Argos  knew  him,  and  stood  up  before  him  and  whined  and 
dropped  his  ears,  but  had  no  strength  to  come  near  him.  Odys- 
seus knew  the  hound  and  stopped  and  gazed  at  him.  'A  good 
hound  lies  there,'  said  he  to  Eumaeus,  'once,  I  think,  he  was  so 
swift  that  no  beast  in  the  deep  places  of  the  wood  could  flee 
from  him.'  Then  he  went  on,  and  the  hound  Argos  lay  down 
in  the  dirt  of  the  yard,  and  that  same  day  the  life  passed 
from  him. 

Behind  Eumasus,  the  swineherd,  he  came  into  his  own  hall, 
in  the  appearance  of  a  beggar,  wretchedly  clad  and  leaning  on  an 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  207 

old  man's  staff.  Odysseus  looked  upon  the  young  lords  who 
wooed  his  wife,  and  then  he  sat  down  upon  the  threshold  and 
went  no  further  into  the  hall. 

Telemachus  was  there.  Seeing  Eumasus  he  called  to  him 
and  gave  the  swineherd  bread  and  meat,  and  said,  '  Take  these, 
and  give  them  to  the  stranger  at  the  doorway,  and  tell  him 
that  he  may  go  amongst  the  company  and  crave  an  alms  from 
each.' 

Odysseus  ate  whilst  the  minstrel  was  finishing  his  song.  When 
it  was  finished  he  rose  up,  and  went  into  the  hall,  craving  an  alms 
from  each  of  the  wooers. 

Seeing  him,  Antinous,  the  most  insolent  of  the  wooers,  cried 
out,  'O  notorious  swineherd,  why  didst  thou  bring  this  fellow 
here?  Have  we  not  enough  vagabonds?  Is  it  nothing  to  thee 
that  worthless  fellows  come  here  and  devour  thy  master's  sub- 
stance ? ' 

Hearing  such  a  speech  from  Antinous,  Telemachus  had  to 
say,  'Antinous,  I  see  that  thou  hast  good  care  for  me  and  mine. 
I  marvel  that  thou  hast  such  good  care.  But  wouldst  thou  have 
me  drive  a  stranger  from  the  door?  The  gods  forbid  that  I 
should  do  such  a  thing.  Nay,  Antinous.  Give  the  stranger 
something  for  the  sake  of  the  house.' 

'  If  all  the  company  gives  him  as  much  as  I,  he  will  have  some- 
thing to  keep  him  from  beggary  for  a  three  months'  space,'  said 
Antinous,  meaning  by  that  that  he  would  work  some  hurt  upon 
the  beggar. 


2o8  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

Odysseus  came  before  him.  'They  say  that  thou  art  the 
noblest  of  all  the  wooers,'  he  said,  'and  for  that  reason  thou 
shouldst  give  me  a  better  thing  than  any  of  the  others  have 
given  me.  Look  upon  me.  I  too  had  a  house  of  mine  own,  and 
was  accounted  wealthy  amongst  men,  and  I  had  servants  to 
wait  upon  me.  And  many  a  time  would  I  make  welcome  the 
wanderer  and  give  him  something  from  my  store.' 

'Stand  far  away  from  my  table,  thou  wretched  fellow,'  said 
Antinous. 

Then  said  Odysseus,  'Thou  hast  beauty,  lord  Antinous,  but 
thou  hast  not  wisdom.  Out  of  thine  own  house  thou  wouldst 
not  give  a  grain  of  salt  to  a  suppliant.  And  even  whilst  thou 
dost  sit  at  another  man's  table  thou  dost  not  find  it  in  thy  heart 
to  give  something  out  of  the  plenty  that  is  before  thee.' 

So  Odysseus  spoke  and  Antinous  became  terribly  angered. 
He  caught  up  a  footstool,  and  with  it  he  struck  Odysseus  in  the 
back,  at  the  base  of  the  right  shoulder.  Such  a  blow  would  have 
knocked  another  man  over,  but  Odysseus  stood  steadfast  under 
it.  He  gave  one  look  at  Antinous,  and  then  without  a  word  he 
went  over  and  sat  down  again  upon  the  threshold. 

Telemachus  had  in  his  heart  a  mighty  rage  for  the  stroke  that 
had  been  given  his  father.  But  he  let  no  tear  fall  from  his  eyes 
and  he  sat  very  still,  brooding  in  his  heart  evil  for  the  wooers. 
Odysseus,  after  a  while,  lifted  his  head  and  spoke : 

'Wooers  of  the  renowned  queen,'  he  said,  'hear  what  the 
spirit  within  me  bids  me  say  to  you.     There  is  neither  pain  nor 


210  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

shame  in  the  blow  that  a  man  may  get  in  battle.  But  in  the  blow 
that  Antinous  has  given  me  —  a  blow  aimed  at  a  beggar  —  there 
is  pain  and  there  is  shame.  And  now  I  call  upon  that  god  who 
is  the  avenger  of  the  insult  to  the  poor,  to  bring,  not  a  wedding  to 
Antinous,  but  the  issue  of  death.' 

'Sit  there  and  eat  thy  meat  in  quiet,'  Antinous  called  out, 
'  or  else  thou  wilt  be  dragged  through  the  house  by  thy  heels,  and 
the  flesh  will  be  stripped  off  thy  bones.' 

And  now  the  lady  Penelope  had  come  into  the  hall.  Hearing 
that  a  stranger  was  there,  she  sent  for  Eumaeus  and  bade  the 
swineherd  bring  him  to  her,  that  she  might  question  him  as  to 
what  he  had  heard  about  Odysseus.  Eumaeus  came  and  told 
him  of  Penelope's  request.  But  Odysseus  said,  'Eumaeus, 
right  willing  am  I  to  tell  the  truth  about  Odysseus  to  the  fair  and 
wise  Penelope.  But  now  I  may  not  speak  to  her.  Go  to  her 
and  tell  her  that  when  the  wooers  have  gone  I  will  speak 
to  her.  And  ask  her  to  give  me  a  seat  near  the  fire,  that  I 
may  sit  and  warm  myself  as  I  speak,  for  the  clothes  I  wear  are 
comfortless.' 

As  Eumaeus  gave  the  message  to  the  lady  Penelope,  one  who 
was  there,  Theoclymenus,  the  guest  who  had  come  in  Telema- 
chus'  ship,  said,  'O  wife  of  the  renowned  Odysseus,  be  sure 
that  thy  lord  will  return  to  his  house.  As  I  came  here  on  the 
ship  of  Telemachus,  thy  son,  I  saw  a  happening  that  is  an  omen 
of  the  return  of  Odysseus.  A  bird  flew  out  on  the  right,  a 
hawk.     In  his  talons  he  held  a  dove,  and  plucked  her  and  shed 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  211 

the  feathers  down  on  the  ship.  By  that  omen  I  know  that 
the  lord  of  this  high  house  will  return,  and  strike  here  in  his 
anger.' 

Penelope  left  the  hall  and  went  back  to  her  own  chamber. 
Next  Eumaeus  went  away  to  look  after  his  swine.  But  still  the 
wooers  continued  to  feast,  and  still  Odysseus  sat  in  the  guise  of 
a  beggar  on  the  threshold  of  his  own  house. 


XI 

HERE  was  in  Ithaka  a  common  beggar ; 
he  was  a  most  greedy  fellow,  and  he  was 
nicknamed  Irus  because  he  used  to  run  er- 
rands for  the  servants  of  Odysseus'  house. 
He  came  in  the  evening,  and  seeing  a 
seeming  beggar  seated  on  the  threshold, 
he  flew  into  a  rage  and  shouted  at  him : 
'  Get  away  from  here,  old  fellow,  lest  you  be  dragged  away  by 
the  hand  or  foot.  Look  you !  The  lords  within  the  house  are 
giving  me  the  wink  to  turn  you  out.  But  I  can't  demean  myself 
by  touching  the  like  of  you.  Get  up  now  and  go  while  I'm  easy 
with  you.' 

Odysseus  looked  at  the  fellow  and  said,  'I  have  not  harmed 
you  in  deed  or  word,  and  I  do  not  grudge  you  anything  of  what 
you  may  get  in  this  house.  The  threshold  I  sit  on  is  wide  enough 
for  two  of  us.' 

'What  words  this  fellow  has!'    said  Irus  the   beggar.     'He 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


talks  like  an  old  sit-by-the-fire.  I'll  not  waste  more  words  on 
him.  Get  up  now,  heavy  paunch,  and  strip  for  the  fight,  for  I'm 
going  to  show  all  the  lords  that  I  can  keep  the  door  for  them.' 

'Do  not  provoke  me,'  said  Odysseus.     'Old  as  I  seem,  I  may 
be  able  to  draw  your  blood.' 

But  Irus  kept  on  shouting,  'I'll  knock  the  teeth  out  of  your 
jaws.'  'I'll  trounce  you.'  Antinous,  the  most  insolent  of  the 
wooers,  saw  the  squabble,  and  he  laughed  to  see  the  pair  defying 
each  other.  'Friends,'  said  he,  'the  gods  are  good  to  us,  and 
don't  fail  to  send  us  amusement.  The  strange  beggar  and  our 
own  Irus  are  threatening  each  other.  Let  us  see  that  they  don't 
draw  back  from  the  fight.  Let  us  match  one  against  the  other.' 
LL  the  wooers  trooped  to  the  threshold 
and  stood  round  the  ragged  men.  Anti- 
nous  thought  of  something  to  make  the 
game  more  merry.  'There  are  two  great 
puddings  in  the  larder,'  he  said.  'Let  us 
offer  them  for  a  prize  to  these  pugilists. 
Come,  Irus.  Come,  stranger.  A  choice 
of  puddings  for  whichever  of  you  wins  the  match.  Aye,  and 
more  than  that.  Whoever  wins  shall  have  leave  to  eat  every 
day  in  this  hall,  and  no  other  beggar  shall  be  let  come  near  the 
house.  Go  to  it  now,  ye  mighty  men.'  All  the  wooers  crowded 
round  and  clapped  the  men  on  to  the  fight. 

Odysseus  said,  'Friends,  an  old  man  like  me  cannot  fight  one 
who  is  younger  and  abler.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  213 

But  they  cried  to  him,  'Go  on,  go  on.  Get  into  the  fight  or 
else  take  stripes  upon  your  body.' 

Then  said  Odysseus,  'Swear  to  me,  all  of  you,  that  none  of 
you  will  show  favour  to  Irus  nor  deal  me  a  foul  blow.' 

All  the  wooers  cried  out  that  none  would  favour  Irus  or  deal 
his  opponent  a  foul  blow.  And  Telemachus,  who  was  there, 
said,  'The  man  who  strikes  thee,  stranger,  will  have  to  take 
reckoning  from  me.' 

Straightway  Odysseus  girt  up  his  rags.  When  his  great  arms 
and  shoulders  and  thighs  were  seen,  the  wooers  were  amazed  and 
Irus  was  frightened.  He  would  have  slipped  away  if  Antinous 
had  not  caught  him  and  said  to  him,  'You  lubber,  you  !  If  you 
do  not  stand  up  before  this  man  I  will  have  you  flung  on  my  ship 
and  sent  over  to  King  Echetus,  who  will  cut  off  your  nose  and  ears 
and  give  your  flesh  to  his  dogs  to  eat.'  He  took  hold  of  Irus 
and  dragged  him  into  the  ring. 

The  fighters  faced  each  other.  But  Odysseus  with  his  hands 
upraised  stood  for  long  without  striking,  for  he  was  pondering 
whether  he  should  strike  Irus  a  hard  or  a  light  blow.  It  seemed 
to  him  better  to  strike  him  lightly,  so  that  his  strength  should  not 
be  made  a  matter  for  the  wooers  to  note  and  wonder  at.  Irus 
struck  first.  He  struck  Odysseus  on  the  shoulder.  Then  Odysseus 
aimed  a  blow  at  his  neck,  just  below  the  ear,  and  the  beggar  fell 
to  the  ground,  with  the  blood  gushing  from  his  mouth  and  nose. 

The  wooers  were  not  sorry  for  Irus.  They  laughed  until  they 
were  ready  to  fall  backwards.     Then  Odysseus  seized  Irus  by  the 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  21 5 

feet,  and  dragged  him  out  of  the  house,  and  to  the  gate  of  the 
courtyard.  He  lifted  him  up  and  put  him  standing  against  the 
wall.  Placing  the  staff  in  the  beggar's  hands,  he  said,  'Sit  there, 
and  scare  off  the  dogs  and  swine,  and  do  not  let  such  a  one  as  you 
lord  it  over  strangers.     A  worse  thing  might  have  befallen  you.' 

Then  back  he  went  to  the  hall,  with  his  beggar's  bag  on  his 
shoulder  and  his  clothes  more  ragged  than  ever.  Back  he  went, 
and  when  the  wooers  saw  him  they  burst  into  peals  of  laughter 
and  shouted  out: 

'May  Zeus,  O  stranger,  give  thee  thy  dearest  wish  and  thy 
heart's  desire.  Thou  only  shalt  be  beggar  in  Ithaka.'  They 
laughed  and  laughed  again  when  Antinous  brought  out  the  great 
pudding  that  was  the  prize.  Odysseus  took  it  from  him.  And 
another  of  the  wooers  pledged  him  in  a  golden  cup,  saying,  'May 
you  come  to  your  own,  O  beggar,  and  may  happiness  be  yours 
in  time  to  come.' 

While  these  things  were  happening,  the  wife  of  Odysseus,  the 
lady  Penelope,  called  to  Eurycleia,  and  said,  'This  evening  I  will 
go  into  the  hall  of  our  house  and  speak  to  my  son,  Telemachus. 
Bid  my  two  handmaidens  make  ready  to  come  with  me,  for  I 
shrink  from  going  amongst  the  wooers  alone.' 

Eurycleia  went  to  tell  the  handmaidens  and  Penelope  washed 
off  her  cheeks  the  traces  of  the  tears  that  she  had  wept  that 
day.  Then  she  sat  down  to  wait  for  the  handmaidens  to  come 
to  her.  As  she  waited  she  fell  into  a  deep  sleep.  And  as  she 
slept,  the  goddess  Pallas  Athene  bathed  her  face  in  the  Water 


216  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

of  Beauty  and  took  all  weariness  away  from  her  body,  and 
restored  all  her  youthfulness  to  her.  The  sound  of  the  hand- 
maidens' voices  as  they  came  in  awakened  her,  and  Penelope 
rose  up  to  go  into  the  hall. 

Now  when  she  came  amongst  them  with  her  two  handmaidens, 
one  standing  each  side  of  her,  the  wooers  were  amazed,  for  they 
had  never  seen  one  so  beautiful.  The  hearts  of  all  were  en- 
chanted with  love  for  her,  and  each  prayed  that  he  might  have 
her  for  his  wife. 

Penelope  did  not  look  on  any  of  the  wooers,  but  she  went  to 
her  son,  Telemachus,  and  spoke  to  him. 

'Telemachus,'  she  said,  'I  have  heard  that  a  stranger  has 
been  ill-treated  in  this  house.  How,  my  child,  didst  thou  permit 
such  a  thing  to  happen  ?  ' 

Telemachus  said,  ' My  lady  mother,  thou  hast  no  right  to  be 
angered  at  what  took  place  in  this  hall.' 

So  they  spoke  to  one  another,  mother  and  son.  Now  one  of 
the  wooers,  Eurymachus  by  name,  spoke  to  Penelope,  saying : 

'Lady,  if  any  more  than  we  beheld  thee  in  the  beauty  thou  hast 
now,  by  so  many  more  wouldst  thou  have  wooers  to-morrow.' 

'Speak  not  so  to  me,  lord  Eurymachus,'  said  Penelope, 
'speak  not  of  my  beauty,  which  departed  in  the  grief  I  felt  when 
my  lord  went  to  the  wars  of  Troy.' 

Odysseus  stood  up,  and  gazed  upon  his  wife  who  was  standing 
amongst  her  wooers.  Eurymachus  noted  him  and  going  to  him, 
said,  'Stranger,  wouldst  thou  be  my  hireling?     If  thou  wouldst 


2i8  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

work  on  my  upland  farm,  I  should  give  thee  food  and  clothes. 
But  I  think  thou  art  practised  only  in  shifts  and  dodges,  and  that 
thou  wouldst  prefer  to  go  begging  thy  way  through  the  country.' 

Odysseus,  standing  there,  said  to  that  proud  wooer,  'Lord 
Eurymachus,  if  there  might  be  a  trial  of  labour  between  us  two,  I 
know  which  of  us  would  come  out  the  better  man.  I  would  that 
we  two  stood  together,  a  scythe  in  the  hands  of  each,  and  a  good 
swath  of  meadow  to  be  mown  —  then  would  I  match  with  thee, 
fasting  from  dawn  until  evening's  dark.  Or  would  that  we  were 
set  ploughing  together.  Then  thou  shouldst  see  who  would 
plough  the  longest  and  the  best  furrow !  Or  would  that  we  two 
were  in  the  ways  of  war !  Then  shouldst  thou  see  who  would 
be  in  the  front  rank  of  battle.  Thou  dost  think  thyself  a  great 
man.  But  if  Odysseus  should  return,  that  door,  wide  as  it  is, 
would  be  too  narrow  for  thy  flight.' 

So  angry  was  Eurymachus  at  this  speech  that  he  would  have 
struck  Odysseus  if  Telemachus  had  not  come  amongst  the  wooers, 
saying,  '  That  man  must  not  be  struck  again  in  this  hall.  Sirs, 
if  you  have  finished  feasting,  and  if  the  time  has  come  for  you, 
go  to  your  own  homes,  go  in  peace  I  pray  you.' 

All  were  astonished  that  Telemachus  should  speak  so  boldly. 
No  one  answered  him  back,  for  one  said  to  the  other,  'What  he 
has  said  is  proper.  We  have  nothing  to  say  against  it.  To 
misuse  a  stranger  in  the  house  of  Odysseus  is  a  shame.  Now  let 
us  pour  out  a  libation  of  wine  to  the  gods,  and  then  let  each  man 
go  to  his  home.' 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


219 


The  wine  was  poured  out  and  the  wooers  departed.  Then 
Penelope  and  her  handmaidens  went  to  her  own  chamber  and 
Telemachus  was  left  with  his  father,  Odysseus. 


XII 

O  Telemachus  Odysseus  said,  'My  son,  we 
must  now  get  the  weapons  out  of  the  hall. 
Take  them  down  from  the  walls.'  Telema- 
chus and  his  father  took  down  the  hel- 
mets and  shields  and  sharp-pointed  spears. 
Then  said  Odysseus  as  they  carried  them 
out,  'To-morrow,  when  the  wooers  miss 
the  weapons  and  say,  "Why  have  they  been  taken?"  answer 
them,  saying,  "The  smoke  of  the  fire  dulled  them,  and  they  no 
longer  looked  the  weapons  that  my  father  left  behind  him  when 
he  went  to  the  wars  of  Troy.  Besides,  I  am  fearful  lest  some 
day  the  company  in  the  hall  come  to  a  quarrel,  one  with  the 
other,  and  snatch  the  weapons  in  anger.  Strife  has  come  here 
already.     And  iron  draws  iron,  men  say."'  : 

Telemachus  carried  the  armour  and  weapons  out  of  the  hall 
and  hid  them  in  the  women's  apartment.  Then  when  the  hall 
was  cleared  he  went  to  his  own  chamber. 

It  was  then  that  Penelope  came  back  to  the  hall  to  speak  to  the 
stranger.  One  of  her  handmaidens,  Melantho  by  name,  was 
there,  and  she  was  speaking  angrily  to  him.     Now  this  Melantho 


220  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

was  proud  and  hard  of  heart  because  Antinous  often  conversed 
with  her.     As  Penelope  came  near  she  was  saying : 

'Stranger,  art  thou  still  here,  prying  things  out  and  spying  on 
the  servants?  Be  thankful  for  the  supper  thou  hast  gotten  and 
betake  thyself  out  of  this.' 

Odysseus,  looking  fiercely  at  her,  said,  'Why  shouldst  thou 
speak  to  me  in  such  a  way?  If  I  go  in  ragged  clothes  and  beg 
through  the  land  it  is  because  of  my  necessity.  Once  I  had  a 
house  with  servants  and  with  much  substance,  and  the  stranger 
who  came  there  was  not  abused.' 

The  lady  Penelope  called  to  the  handmaiden  and  said,  'Thou, 
Melantho,  didst  hear  it  from  mine  own  lips  that  I  was  minded  to 
speak  to  this  stranger  and  ask  him  if  he  had  tidings  of  my  lord. 
Therefore,  it  does  not  become  thee  to  revile  him.'  She  spoke 
to  the  old  nurse  who  had  come  with  her,  and  said,  'Eurycleia, 
bring  to  the  fire  a  bench,  with  a  fleece  upon  it,  that  this  stranger 
may  sit  and  tell  me  his  story.' 

Eurycleia  brought  over  the  bench,  and  Odysseus  sat  down  near 
the  fire.  Then  said  the  lady  Penelope,  'First,  stranger,  wilt 
thou  tell  me  who  thou  art,  and  what  is  thy  name,  and  thy  race 
and  thy  country  ? ' 

Said  Odysseus,  'Ask  me  all  thou  wilt,  lady,  but  inquire  not 
concerning  my  name,  or  race,  or  country,  lest  thou  shouldst  fill 
my  heart  with  more  pains  than  I  am  able  to  endure.  Verily  I 
am  a  man  of  grief.  But  hast  thou  no  tale  to  tell  me  ?  We  know 
of  thee,  Penelope,  for  thy  fame  goes  up  to  heaven,  and  no  one  of 
mortal  men  can  find  fault  with  thee.' 


AND   THE   TALE   OF  TROY  221 

Then  said  Penelope,  'What  excellence  I  had  of  face  or  form 
departed  from  me  when  my  lord  Odysseus  went  from  this  hall 
to  the  wars  of  Troy.  And  since  he  went  a  host  of  ills  has  beset 
me.  Ah,  would  that  he  were  here  to  watch  over  my  life !  The 
lords  of  all  the  islands  around  —  Dulichium  and  Same  and 
Zacynthus ;  and  the  lords  of  the  land  of  Ithaka,  have  come  here 
and  are  wooing  me  against  my  will.  They  devour  the  substance 
of  this  house  and  my  son  is  being  impoverished.' 

'Long  ago  a  god  put  into  my  mind  a  device  to  keep  marriage 
with  any  of  them  away  from  me.  I  set  up  a  great  web  upon  my 
loom  and  I  spoke  to  the  wooers,  saying,  "Odysseus  is  assuredly 
dead,  but  I  crave  that  you  be  not  eager  to  speed  on  this  marriage 
with  me.  Wait  until  I  finish  the  web  I  am  weaving.  It  is  a 
shroud  for  Odysseus'  father,  and  I  make  it  against  the  day  when 
death  shall  come  to  him.  There  will  be  no  woman  to  care  for 
Laertes  when  I  have  left  his  son's  house,  and  I  would  not  have 
such  a  hero  He  without  a  shroud,  lest  the  women  of  our  land 
should  blame  me  for  neglect  of  my  husband's  father  in  his  last 
days.'" 

'So  I  spoke,  and  they  agreed  to  wait  until  the  web  was  woven. 
In  the  daytime  I  wove  it,  but  at  night  I  unravelled  the  web.  So 
three  years  passed  away.  Then  the  fourth  year  came,  and  my 
wooers  were  hard  to  deal  with.  My  treacherous  handmaidens 
brought  them  upon  me  as  I  was  unravelling  the  web.  And  now 
I  cannot  devise  any  other  plan  to  keep  the  marriage  away  from 
me.     My  parents  command  me  to  marry  one  of  my  wooers. 


222  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

My  son  cannot  long  endure  to  see  the  substance  of  his  house  and 
field  being  wasted,  and  the  wealth  that  should  be  his  destroyed.  He 
too  would  wish  that  I  should  marry.  And  there  is  no  reason  why 
I  should  not  be  wed  again,  for  surely  Odysseus,  my  lord,  is  dead.' 
Said  Odysseus,  'Thy  lord  was  known  to  me.  On  his  way  to 
Troy  he  came  to  my  land,  for  the  wind  blew  him  out  of  his  course, 
sending  him  wandering  past  Malea.  For  twelve  days  he  stayed 
in  my  city,  and  I  gave  him  good  entertainment,  and  saw  that  he 
lacked  for  nothing  in  cattle,  or  wine,  or  barley  meal.' 

When  Odysseus  was  spoken  of,  the  heart  of  Penelope  melted, 
and  tears  ran  down  her  cheeks.  Odysseus  had  pity  for  Ins  wife 
when  he  saw  her  weeping  for  the  man  who  was  even  then  sitting 
by  her.  Tears  would  have  run  down  his  own  cheeks  only  that 
he  was  strong  enough  to  hold  them  back. 

Said  Penelope,  'Stranger,  I  cannot  help  but  question  thee 
about  Odysseus.  What  raiment  had  he  on  when  thou  didst  see 
him  ?    And  what  men  were  with  him  ? ' 

AID  Odysseus,  'Lady,  it  is  hard  for  one 
so  long  parted  from  him  to  tell  thee  what 
thou  hast  asked.  It  is  now  twenty  years 
since  I  saw  Odysseus.  He  wore  a  purple 
mantle  that  was  fastened  with  a  brooch. 
And  this  brooch  had  on  it  the  image  of  a 
hound  holding  a  fawn  between  its  fore- 
paws.  All  the  people  marvelled  at  this  brooch,  for  it  was  of 
gold,  and  the  fawn  and  the  hound  were  done  to  the  life.    And 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


223 


I  remember  that  there  was  a  henchman  with  Odysseus  —  he  was 
a  man  somewhat  older  than  his  master,  round  shouldered  and 
black-skinned  and  curly  headed.  His  name  was  Eurybates,  and 
Odysseus  honoured  him  above  the  rest  of  his  company.' 

When  he  spoke,  giving  such  tokens  of  Odysseus,  Penelope  wept 
again.     And  when  she  had  wept  for  a  long  time  she  said  : 

'Stranger,  thou  wert  made  welcome,  but  now  thou  shalt  be 
honoured  in  this  hall.  Thou  dost  speak  of  the  garments  that 
Odysseus  wore.  It  was  I  who  gave  him  these  garments,  folding 
them  myself  and  bringing  them  out  of  the  chamber.  And  it 
was  I  who  gave  him  the  brooch  that  thou  hast  described.  Ah, 
it  was  an  evil  fate  that  took  him  from  me,  bringing  him  to  Troy, 
that  place  too  evil  to  be  named  by  me.' 

Odysseus  leaned  towards  her,  and  said,  'Do  not  waste  thy  heart 
with  endless  weeping,  lady.  Cease  from  lamentation,  and  lay 
up  in  thy  mind  the  word  I  give  thee.  Odysseus  is  near.  He 
has  lost  all  his  companions,  and  he  knows  not  how  to  come  into 
this  house,  whether  openly  or  by  stealth.  I  swear  it.  By  the 
hearth  of  Odysseus  to  which  I  am  come,  I  swear  that  Odysseus 
himself  will  stand  up  here  before  the  old  moon  wanes  and  the 
new  moon  is  born.' 

'Ah,  no,'  said  Penelope.  'Often  before  have  wanderers  told 
me  such  comfortable  things,  and  I  believed  them.  I  know  now 
that  thy  word  cannot  be  accomplished.  But  it  is  time  for  thee 
to  rest  thyself,  stranger.  My  handmaidens  will  make  a  bed  for 
thee  in  the  vestibule,  and  then  come  to  thee  and  bathe  thy  feet.' 


224  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

Said  Odysseus,  '  Thy  handmaidens  would  be  loath  to  touch  the 
feet  of  a  wanderer  such  as  I.  But  if  there  is  in  the  house  some 
old  wife  who  has  borne  such  troubles  as  I  have  borne,  I  would 
have  my  feet  bathed  by  her.' 

Said  Penelope,  'Here  is  an  ancient  woman  who  nursed  and 
tended  that  hapless  man,  Odysseus.  She  took  him  in  her  arms 
in  the  very  hour  he  was  born.  Eurycleia,  wash  the  feet  of  this 
man,  who  knew  thy  lord  and  mine.' 

Thereupon  the  nurse,  old  Eurycleia,  fetched  water,  both  hot 
and  cold,  and  brought  the  bath  to  the  hearth.  And  standing 
before  Odysseus  in  the  flickering  light  of  the  fire,  she  said,  'I 
will  wash  thy  feet,  both  for  Penelope's  sake  and  for  thine  own. 
The  heart  within  me  is  moved  at  the  sight  of  thee.  Many 
strangers  have  come  into  this  hall,  but  I  have  never  seen  one 
that  was  so  like  as  thou  art  to  Odysseus.' 

Said  Odysseus,  'Many  people  have  said  that  Odysseus  and 
I  favour  each  other.' 

His  feet  were  in  the  water,  and  she  put  her  hand  upon  one 
of  them.  As  she  did  so,  Odysseus  turned  his  face  away  to 
the  darkness,  for  it  suddenly  came  into  his  mind  that  his 
nurse,  old  Eurycleia,  might  recognize  the  scar  that  was  upon 
that  foot. 

How  came  it  there,  that  scar?  It  had  been  made  long  ago 
when  a  boar's  tusk  had  ripped  up  the  flesh  of  his  foot.  Odysseus 
was  then  a  youth,  and  he  had  gone  to  the  mountain  Parnassus 
to  visit  there  his  mother's  father. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


225 


WL     / 

NE  morning,  with  his  uncles,  young  Odys- 
seus went  up  the  slope  of  the  mountain 
Parnassus,  to  hunt  with  hounds.  In  a 
thick  lair  a  mighty  boar  was  lying.  When 
the  sound  of  the  men's  trampling  came 
near  him,  he  sprang  up  with  gleaming 
eyes  and  stood  before  them  all.  Odys- 
seus, holding  lus  spear  in  his  hands,  rushed  upon  him.  But 
before  he  could  strike  him,  the  boar  charged,  ripping  deep  into 
his  flesh  with  his  tusk.  Then  Odysseus  speared  him  through 
the  shoulder  and  the  boar  was  slain.  His  uncles  staunched  the 
wound  and  he  stayed  with  them  on  the  mountain  Parnassus,  in 
his  grandfather's  house,  until  the  wound  was  healed. 

And  now,  as  Eurycleia,  his  old  nurse,  passed  her  hands  along 
the  leg,  she  let  his  foot  drop  suddenly.  His  knee  struck  against 
the  bath,  and  the  vessel  of  water  was  overturned.  The  nurse 
touched  the  chin  of  Odysseus  and  she  said,  'Thou  art  Odysseus.' 

She  looked  to  where  Penelope  was  sitting,  so  that  she  might 
make  a  sign  to  her.  But  Penelope  had  her  eyes  turned  away. 
Odysseus  put  his  hand  on  Eurycleia's  mouth,  and  with  the  other 
hand  he  drew  her  to  him. 

'Woman,'  he  whispered.  'Say  nothing.  Be  silent,  lest 
mine  enemies  learn  what  thou  knowest  now.' 

'Silent  I'll  be,'  said   the   nurse   Eurycleia.     'Thou   knowest 
me.     Firm  and  unyielding  I  am,  and  by  no  sign  will  I  let  anyone 
know  that  thou  hast  come  under  this  roof.' 
Q 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  227 

So  saying  she  went  out  of  the  hall  to  fetch  water  in  the  place 
of  that  which  had  been  spilt.  She  came  back  and  finished  bathing 
his  feet.  Then  Odysseus  arranged  the  rags  around  his  leg  to  hide 
the  scar,  and  he  drew  the  bench  closer  to  the  fire. 

Penelope  turned  to  him  again.  'Wise  thou  art,  my  guest,' 
she  said,  'and  it  may  be  that  thou  art  just  such  a  man  as  can 
interpret  a  dream  that  comes  to  me  constantly.  I  have  twenty 
geese  in  the  yard  outside.  In  my  dream  I  see  them,  and  then 
a  great  eagle  flies  down  from  the  mountains,  and  breaks  their 
necks  and  kills  them  all,  and  lays  them  in  a  heap  in  this  hall. 
I  weep  and  lament  for  my  geese,  but  then  the  eagle  comes  back, 
and  perching  on  a  beam  of  the  roof  speaks  to  me  in  the  voice  of 
a  man.  "Take  heart,  O  wife  of  Odysseus,"  the  eagle  says, 
"this  is  no  dream  but  a  true  vision.  For  the  geese  that  thou 
hast  seen  are  thy  wooers,  and  I,  that  appeared  as  an  eagle,  am 
thy  husband  who  will  swiftly  bring  death  to  the  wooers."  Then 
the  dream  goes,  and  I  waken  and  look  out  on  the  daylight  and 
see  my  geese  in  the  courtyard  pecking  at  the  wheat  in  the 
trough.     Canst  thou  interpret  this  dream  ? ' 

'Lady,'  said  Odysseus,  'the  dream  interprets  itself.  All 
will  come  about  as  thou  hast  dreamed.' 

'Ah,'  said  Penelope,  'but  it  cannot  now,  for  the  day  of  my 
woe  is  at  hand.  I  am  being  forced  by  my  parents  to  choose  a 
husband  from  the  wooers,  and  depart  from  the  house  of  Odysseus. ' 

'And  how  wilt  thou  choose  from  amongst  them?'  said 
Odysseus. 


228  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

'In  this  way  will  I  make  choice,'  said  Penelope.  'My 
husband's  great  bow  is  still  in  the  house.  The  one  who  can 
bend  that  bow,  and  shoot  an  arrow  through  the  holes  in  the 
backs  of  twelve  axes  set  one  behind  the  other  —  him  will  I  choose 
for  my  husband.' 

Said  Odysseus,  'Thy  device  is  good,  Penelope,  and  some  god 
hath  instructed  thee  to  do  this.  But  delay  no  longer  the  contest 
of  the  bow.     Let  it  be  to-morrow.' 

'  Is  that  thy  counsel,  O  stranger  ? '  said  Penelope. 

'It  is  my  counsel/  said  Odysseus. 

'I  thank  thee  for  thy  counsel,'  she  said.  'And  now  farewell, 
for  I  must  go  to  my  rest.  And  do  thou  lie  down  in  the  vestibule, 
in  the  bed  that  has  been  made  for  thee.' 

So  Penelope  spoke,  and  then  she  went  to  her  chamber  with 
her  handmaidens.  And  in  her  bed  she  thought  over  all 
the  stranger  had  told  her  of  Odysseus,  and  she  wept  again 
for  him. 


XIII 

LL  night  Odysseus  lay  awake,  tossing  this 
side  and  that,  as  he  pondered  on  how  he 
might  slay  the  wooers,  and  save  his  house 
from  them.  As  soon  as  the  dawn  came, 
he  went  into  the  open  air  and,  lifting  up 
his  hands,  prayed  to  Zeus,  the  greatest 
of   the  gods,  that   he   might   be   shown 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  229 

some  sign,  as  to  whether  he  would  win  victory  or  meet  with 
defeat. 

And  then,  as  he  was  going  within  the  house,  he  heard  the  voice 
of  a  woman  who  ground  barley-meal  between  stones.  She  was 
one  of  twelve,  but  the  other  women  had  fallen  asleep  by  the  quern- 
stones.  She  was  an  ancient,  wretched  woman,  covered  all  over 
with  the  dust  of  the  grain,  and,  as  Odysseus  came  near  her,  she 
lifted  up  her  hands  and  prayed  in  a  weak  voice : 

'O  Zeus,  even  for  miserable  me,  fulfil  a  prayer !  May  this  be 
the  last  day  that  the  wooers  make  their  feast  in  the  house  of 
Odysseus !  They  have  loosened  my  knees  with  the  cruel  toil 
they  have  made  me  undergo,  grinding  for  them  the  barley  for 
the  bread  they  eat.  O  Zeus,  may  they  to-day  sup  their 
last ! ' 

Thus  the  quern-woman  spoke,  as  Odysseus  crossed  his  thresh- 
old. He  was  glad  of  her  speech,  for  it  seemed  to  him  her  words 
were  an  omen  from  Zeus,  and  that  vengeance  would  soon  be 
wrought  upon  the  proud  and  hard-hearted  men  who  wasted  the 
goods  of  the  house  and  oppressed  the  servants. 

And  now  the  maids  came  into  the  hall  from  the  women's 
apartment,  and  some  cleaned  the  tables  and  others  took  pitchers 
and  went  to  the  well  for  water.  Then  men-servants  came  in  and 
split  the  fagots  for  the  fire.  Other  servants  came  into  the  court- 
yard —  Eumaeus  the  swineherd,  driving  fatted  swine,  the  best 
of  his  drove,  and  Philcetius  the  cattle-herd  bringing  a  calf.  The 
goatherd    Melanthius,  him  whom   Odysseus  and  Eumjeus  had 


230  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

met  on  the  road  the  day  before,  also  came,  bringing  the  best  goats 
of  his  flock  to  be  killed  for  the  wooers'  feast. 

When  the  cattle-herd,  Philoetius,  saw  a  stranger  in  the  guise 
of  a  beggar,  he  called  out  as  he  tethered  the  calf  in  the  yard, 
'  Hail,  stranger  friend !  My  eyes  fill  with  tears  as  I  look  on 
thee.  For  even  now,  clad  as  thou  art  in  rags,  thou  dost  make 
me  think  of  my  master  Odysseus,  who  may  be  a  wanderer  such 
as  thou  in  friendless  lands.  Ah,  that  he  might  return  and  make 
a  scattering  of  the  wooers  in  his  hall.'  Eumaeus  the  swineherd 
came  up  to  Philoetius  and  made  the  same  prayer.  These  two, 
and  the  ancient  woman  at  the  quern,  were  the  only  ones  of  his 
servants  whom  he  heard  pray  for  his  return. 

And  now  the  wooers  came  into  the  hall.  Philoetius  the  cattle- 
herd,  and  Melanthius  the  evil  goatherd,  went  amongst  them, 
handing  them  bread  and  meat  and  wine.  Odysseus  stood  outside 
the  hall  until  Telemachus  went  to  him  and  brought  him  within. 

Now  there  was  amongst  the  wooers  a  man  named  Ctesippus, 
and  he  was  the  rudest  and  the  roughest  of  them  all.  When  he 
saw  Telemachus  bringing  Odysseus  within  he  shouted  out, 
'Here  is  a  guest  of  Telemachus  to  whom  some  gift  is  due  from 
us.  It  will  be  unseemly  if  he  should  get  nothing  to-day. 
Therefore  I  will  bestow  this  upon  him  as  a  token.' 

Saying  this,  Ctesippus  took  up  the  foot  of  a  slaughtered  ox  and 
flung  it  full  at  Odysseus.  Odysseus  drew  back,  and  the  ox's  foot 
struck  the  wall.  Then  did  Odysseus  smile  grimly  upon  the 
wooers. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  231 

Said  Telemachus,  'Verily,  Ctesippus,  the  cast  turned  out 
happily  for  thyself.  For  if  thou  shouldst  have  struck  my  guest, 
there  would  have  been  a  funeral  feast  instead  of  a  wedding 
banquet  in  thy  father's  house.  Assuredly  I  should  have  driven 
my  spear  through  thee.' 

All  the  wooers  were  silent  when  Telemachus  spoke  these  bold 
words.  But  soon  they  fell  laughing  at  something  one  of  their 
number  said.  The  guest  from  Telemachus'  ship,  Theoclymenus, 
was  there,  and  he  started  up  and  went  to  leave  the  hall. 

'Why  dost  thou  go,  my  guest?'  said  Telemachus. 

'I  see  the  walls  and  the  beams  of  the  roof  sprinkled  with 
blood,'  said  Theoclymenus,  the  second-sighted  man.  'I  hear  the 
voice  of  wailing.  I  see  cheeks  wet  with  tears.  The  men  before 
me  have  shrouds  upon  them.  The  courtyard  is  filled  with 
ghosts.' 

So  Theoclymenus  spoke,  and  all  the  wooers  laughed  at  the 
second-sighted  man,  for  he  stumbled  about  the  hall  as  if  it  were 
in  darkness.  Then  said  one  of  the  wooers,  'Lead  that  man  out 
of  the  house,  for  surely  he  cannot  tell  day  from  night.' 

'I  will  go  from  the  place,'  said  Theoclymenus.  'I  see  death 
approaching.  Not  one  of  all  the  company  before  me  will  be 
able  to  avoid  it.' 

So  saying,  the  second-sighted  man  went  out  of  the  hall.  The 
wooers  looking  at  each  other  laughed  again,  and  one  of  them  said  : 

'Telemachus  has  no  luck  in  his  guests.  One  is  a  dirty  beggar, 
who  thinks  of  nothing  but  what  he  can  put  from  his  hand  into 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


233 


his  mouth,  and  the  other  wants  to  stand  up  here  and  play  the 
seer.'  So  the  wooers  spake  in  mockery,  but  neither  Telemachus 
nor  Odysseus  paid  heed  to  their  words,  for  their  minds  were  bent 
upon  the  time  when  they  should  take  vengeance  upon  them. 

XIV 

N  the  treasure-chamber  of  the  house  Odys- 
seus' great  bow  was  kept.  That  bow  had 
been  given  to  him  by  a  hero  named  Iphitus 
long  ago.  Odysseus  had  not  taken  it  with 
him  when  he  went  to  the  wars  of  Troy. 

To  the  treasure-chamber  Penelope  went. 
She  carried  in  her  hand  the  great  key  that 
opened  the  doors  —  a  key  all  of  bronze  with  a  handle  of  ivory. 
Now  as  she  thrust  the  key  into  the  locks,  the  doors  groaned  as 
a  bull  groans.  She  went  within,  and  saw  the  great  bow  upon 
its  peg.  She  took  it  down  and  laid  it  upon  her  knees,  and 
thought  long  upon  the  man  who  had  bent  it. 

Beside  the  bow  was  its  quiver  full  of  bronze- weighted  arrows. 
The  servant  took  the  quiver  and  Penelope  took  the  bow,  and  they 
went  from  the  treasure-chamber  and  into  the  hall  where  the 
wooers  were. 

When  she  came  in  she  spoke  to  the  company  and  said  :  '  Lords 
of  Ithaka  and  of  the  islands  around :  You  have  come  here,  each 
desiring  that  I  should  wed  him.  Now  the  time  has  come  for  me 
to  make  my  choice  of  a  man  from  amongst  you.  Here  is  how 
I  shall  make  choice.' 


234  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

'This  is  the  bow  of  Odysseus,  my  lord  who  is  no  more.  Who- 
soever amongst  you  who  can  bend  this  bow  and  shoot  an  arrow 
from  it  through  the  holes  in  the  backs  of  twelve  axes  which  I 
shall  have  set  up,  him  will  I  wed,  and  to  his  house  I  will  go} 
forsaking  the  house  of  my  wedlock,  this  house  so  filled  with 
treasure  and  substance,  this  house  which  I  shall  remember  in 
my  dreams. ' 

As  she  spoke  Telemachus  took  the  twelve  axes  and  set  them 
upright  in  an  even  line,  so  that  one  could  shoot  an  arrow  through 
the  hole  that  was  in  the  back  of  each  axe-head.  Then  Eumaeus, 
the  old  swineherd,  took  the  bow  of  Odysseus,  and  laid  it  before 
the  wooers. 

One  of  the  wooers  took  up  the  bow  and  tried  to  bend  it.  But 
he  could  not  bend  it,  and  he  laid  it  down  at  the  doorway  with  the 
arrow  beside  it.  The  others  took  up  the  bow,  and  warmed  it  at 
the  fire,  and  rubbed  it  with  lard  to  make  it  more  pliable.  As 
they  were  doing  this,  Eumaeus,  the  swineherd,  and  Philcetius, 
the  cattleherd,  passed  out  of  the  hall. 

Odysseus  followed  them  into  the  courtyard.  He  laid  a  hand 
on  each  and  said,  '  Swineherd  and  cattleherd,  I  have  a  word  to 
say  to  you.  But  will  you  keep  it  to  yourselves,  the  word  I  say  ? 
And  first,  what  would  you  do  to  help  Odysseus  if  he  should 
return?  Would  you  stand  on  his  side,  or  on  the  side  of  the 
wooers?    Answer  me  now  from  your  hearts.' 

Said  Philcetius  the  cattleherd,  'May  Zeus  fulfil  my  wish  and 
bring  Odysseus  back !     Then  thou  shouldst  know  on  whose  side 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY  235 

I  would  stand.'  And  Eumasus  said,  'If  Odysseus  should  return 
I  would  be  on  his  side,  and  that  with  all  the  strength  that  is  in  me.' 

When  they  said  this,  Odysseus  declared  himself.  Lifting  up 
his  hand  to  heaven  he  said,  'I  am  your  master,  Odysseus.  After 
twenty  years  I  have  come  back  to  my  own  country,  and  I  find 
that  of  all  my  servants,  by  you  two  alone  is  my  homecoming 
desired.  If  you  need  see  a  token  that  I  am  indeed  Odysseus, 
look  down  on  my  foot.  See  there  the  mark  that  the  wild  boar 
left  on  me  in  the  days  of  my  youth.' 

Straightway  he  drew  the  rags  from  the  scar,  and  the  swineherd 
and  the  cattleherd  saw  it  and  marked  it  well.  Knowing  that 
it  was  indeed  Odysseus  who  stood  before  them,  they  cast  their 
arms  around  him  and  kissed  him  on  the  head  and  shoulders. 
And  Odysseus  was  moved  by  their  tears,  and  he  kissed  their 
heads  and  their  hands. 

As  they  went  back  to  the  hall,  he  told  Eumaeus  to  bring  the 
bow  to  him  as  he  was  bearing  it  through  the  hall.  He  told  him, 
too,  to  order  Eurycleia,  the  faithful  nurse,  to  bar  the  doors  of  the 
women's  apartment  at  the  end  of  the  hall,  and  to  bid  the  women, 
even  if  they  heard  a  groaning  and  a  din,  not  to  come  into  the  hall. 
And  he  charged  the  cattleherd  Philcetius  to  bar  the  gates  of  the 
courtyard. 

As  he  went  into  the  hall,  one  of  the  wooers,  Eurymachus,  was 
striving  to  bend  the  bow.  As  he  struggled  to  do  so  he  groaned 
aloud : 

'Not   because  I  may  not  marry  Penelope  do  I  groan,  but 


236  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

because  we  youths  of  to-day  are  shown  to  be  weaklings  beside 
Odysseus,  whose  bow  we  can  in  no  way  bend.' 

Then  Antinous,  the  proudest  of  the  wooers,  made  answer  and 
said,  'Why  should  we  strive  to  bend  the  bow  to-day?  Nay, 
lay  the  bow  aside,  Eurymachus,  and  let  the  wine-bearers  pour 
us  out  a  cupful  each.  In  the  morning  let  us  make  sacrifice  to 
the  Archer-god,  and  pray  that  the  bow  be  fitted  to  some  of  our 
hands.' 

Then  Odysseus  came  forward  and  said,  'Sirs,  you  do  well  to 
lay  the  bow  aside  for  to-day.  But  will  you  not  put  the  bow  into 
my  hands,  that  I  may  try  to  bend  it,  and  judge  for  myself  whether 
I  have  any  of  the  strength  that  once  was  mine  ?  ' 

All  the  wooers  were  angry  that  a  seeming  beggar  should  attempt 
to  bend  the  bow  that  none  of  their  company  were  able  to  bend  ; 
Antinous  spoke  to  him  sharply  and  said : 

'  Thou  wretched  beggar !  Is  it  not  enough  that  thou  art  let 
into  this  high  hall  to  pick  up  scraps,  but  thou  must  listen  to  our 
speech  and  join  in  our  conversation  ?  If  thou  shouldst  bend  that 
bow  we  will  make  short  shrift  of  thee,  I  promise.  We  will  put 
thee  on  a  ship  and  send  thee  over  to  King  Echetus,  who  will  cut 
thee  to  pieces  and  give  thy  flesh  to  his  hounds.' 

Old  Eumaeus  had  taken  up  the  bow.  As  he  went  with  it  to 
Odysseus  some  of  them  shouted  to  him,  '  Where  art  thou  going 
with  the  bow,  thou  crazy  fellow?  Put  it  down.'  Eumseus 
was  confused  by  their  shouts,  and  he  put  down  the  bow. 

Then  Telemachus  spoke  to  him  and  said,  'Eumaeus,  beware 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


237 


of  being  the  man  who  served  many  masters.'  Eumaeus,  hearing 
these  words,  took  it  up  again  and  brought  it  to  Odysseus,  and 
put  the  bow  into  his  hands. 

As  Odysseus  stood  in  the  doorway  of  the  hall,  the  bow  in  his 
hands,  and  with  the  arrows  scattered  at  his  feet,  Eumaeus  went 
to  Eurycleia,  and  told  her  to  bar  the  door  of  the  women's  apart- 
ment at  the  back.  Then  Philcetius,  the  cattleherd,  went  out  of 
the  hall  and  barred  the  gates  leading  out  of  the  courtyard. 

For  long  Odysseus  stood  with  the  bow  in  his  hands,  handling 
it  as  a  minstrel  handles  a  lyre  when  he  stretches  a  cord  or  tightens 
a  peg.  Then  he  bent  the  great  bow;  he  bent  it  without  an  effort, 
and  at  his  touch  the  bow-string  made  a  sound  that  was  like  the 
cry  of  a  swallow.  The  wooers  seeing  him  bend  that  mighty  bow 
felt,  every  man  of  them,  a  sharp  pain  at  the  heart.  They  saw 
Odysseus  take  up  an  arrow  and  fit  it  to  the  string.  He  held  the 
notch,  and  he  drew  the  string,  and  he  shot  the  bronze-weighted 
arrow  straight  through  the  holes  in  the  back  of  the  axe-heads. 

Then  as  Eumaeus  took  up  the  axes,  and  brought  them  outside, 
he  said,  'Thou  seest,  lord  Telemachus,  that  thy  guest  does  not 
shame  thee  through  foolish  boasting.  I  have  bent  the  bow  of 
Odysseus,  and  I  have  shot  the  arrow  aright.  But  now  it  is  time 
to  provide  the  feast  for  the  lords  who  woo  thy  lady  mother. 
While  it  is  yet  light,  the  feast  must  be  served  to  them,  and  with 
the  feast  they  must  have  music  and  the  dance.' 

Saying  this  he  nodded  to  Telemachus,  bending  his  terrible 
brows.     Telemachus  instantly  girt  his  sword  upon  him  and  took 


AND  THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


239 


his  spear  in  his  hand.  Outside  was  heard  the  thunder  of  Zeus. 
And  now  Odysseus  had  stripped  his  rags  from  him  and  was 
standing  upright,  looking  a  master  of  men.  The  mighty  bow  was 
in  his  hands,  and  at  his  feet  were  scattered  many  bronze-weighted 
arrows. 

XV 

T  is  ended,'  Odysseus  said,  'My  trial  is 
ended.  Now  will  I  have  another  mark.' 
Saying  this,  he  put  the  bronze-weighted 
arrow  against  the  string  of  the  bow,  and 
shot  at  the  first  of  his  enemies. 

It  was  at  Antinous  he  pointed  the  arrow 
—  at  Antinous  who  was  even  then  lifting 
up  a  golden  cup  rilled  with  wine,  and  who  was  smiling,  with 
death  far  from  his  thoughts.  Odysseus  aimed  at  him,  and  smote 
him  with  the  arrow  in  the  throat  and  the  point  passed  out  clean 
through  his  neck.  The  wine  cup  fell  from  his  hands  and  Anti- 
nous fell  dead  across  the  table.  Then  did  all  the  wooers  raise  a 
shout,  threatening  Odysseus  for  sending  an  arrow  astray.  It  did 
not  come  into  their  minds  that  this  stranger-beggar  had  aimed 
to  kill  Antinous. 

But  Odysseus  shouted  back  to  them,  'Ye  dogs,  ye  that  said 
in  your  hearts  that  Odysseus  would  never  return  to  his  home,  ye 
that  wasted  my  substance,  and  troubled  my  wife,  and  injured  my 
servants ;  ye  who  showed  no  fear  of  heaven,  nor  of  the  just  judge- 


24o  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

ments  of  men;  behold  Odysseus  returned,  and  know  what  death 
is  being  loosed  on  you  ! ' 

Then  Eurymachus  shouted  out,  'Friends,  this  man  will  not 
hold  his  hands,  nor  cease  from  shooting  with  the  bow,  until  all  of 
us  are  slain.  Now  must  we  enter  into  the  battle  with  him. 
Draw  your  swords  and  hold  up  the  tables  before  you  for  shields 
and  advance  upon  him.' 

But  even  as  he  spoke  Odysseus,  with  a  terrible  cry,  loosed  an 
arrow  at  him  and  shot  Eurymachus  through  the  breast.  He  let 
the  sword  fall  from  his  hand,  and  he  too  fell  dead  upon  the  floor. 

One  of  the  band  rushed  straight  at  Odysseus  with  his  sword  in 
hand.  But  Telemachus  was  at  hand,  and  he  drove  his  spear 
through  this  man's  shoulders.  Then  Telemachus  ran  quickly 
to  a  chamber  where  there  were  weapons  and  armour  lying.  The 
swineherd  and  the  cattleherd  joined  him,  and  all  three  put 
armour  upon  them.  Odysseus,  as  long  as  he  had  arrows  to 
defend  himself,  kept  shooting  at  and  smiting  the  wooers.  When 
all  the  arrows  were  gone,  he  put  the  helmet  on  his  head  and 
took  up  the  shield  that  Telemachus  had  brought,  and  the  two 
great  spears. 

But  now  Melanthius,  the  goatherd  —  he  who  was  the  enemy 
of  Odysseus,  got  into  the  chamber  where  the  arms  were  kept,  and 
brought  out  spears  and  shields  and  helmets,  and  gave  them  to 
the  wooers.  Seeing  the  goatherd  go  back  for  more  arms,  Telem- 
achus and  Eumaeus  dashed  into  the  chamber,  and  caught  him 
and  bound  him  with  a  rope,  and  dragged  him  up  near  the  roof- 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY  241 

beams,  and  left  him  hanging  there.  Then  they  closed  and  bolted 
the  door,  and  stood  on  guard. 

Many  of  the  wooers  lay  dead  upon  the  floor  of  the  hall.  Now 
one  who  was  called  Agelaus  stood  forward,  and  directed  the 
wooers  to  cast  spears  at  Odysseus.  But  not  one  of  the  spears 
they  cast  struck  him,  for  Odysseus  was  able  to  avoid  them  all. 

And  now  he  directed  Telemachus  and  Eumaeus  and  Philcetius 
to  cast  their  spears.  When  they  cast  them  with  Odysseus,  each 
one  struck  a  man,  and  four  of  the  wooers  fell  down.  And  again 
Odysseus  directed  his  following  to  cast  their  spears,  and  again 
they  cast  them,  and  slew  their  men.  They  drove  those  who 
remained  from  one  end  of  the  hall  to  the  other,  and  slew 
them  all. 

Straightway  the  doors  of  the  women's  apartment  were  flung 
open,  and  Eurycleia  appeared.  She  saw  Odysseus  amongst  the 
bodies  of  the  dead,  all  stained  with  blood.  She  would  have 
cried  out  in  triumph  if  Odysseus  had  not  restrained  her.  'Re- 
joice within  thine  own  heart,'  he  said,  'but  do  not  cry  aloud, 
for  it  is  an  unholy  thing  to  triumph  over  men  lying  dead.  These 
men  the  gods  themselves  have  overcome,  because  of  their  own 
hard  and  unjust  hearts.' 

[  As  he  spoke  the  women  came  out  of  their  chambers,  carrying 
torches  in  their  hands.  They  fell  upon  Odysseus  and  embraced 
him  and  clasped  and  kissed  his  hands.  A  longing  came  over  him 
to  weep,  for  he  remembered  them  from  of  old  —  every  one  of  the 
servants  who  were  there. 


AND   THE  TALE  OF  TROY 


243 


XVI 


URYCLEIA,  the  old  nurse,  went  to  the 
upper  chamber  where  Penelope  lay  in  her 
bed.  She  bent  over  her  and  called  out, 
'Awake,  Penelope,  dear  child.  Come  down 
and  see  with  thine  own  eyes  what  hath 
happened.  The  wooers  are  overthrown. 
And  he  whom  thou  hast  ever  longed  to 
see  hath  come  back.  Odysseus,  thy  husband,  hath  returned. 
He  hath  slain  the  proud  wooers  who  have  troubled  thee  for  so 
long.' 

But  Penelope  only  looked  at  the  nurse,  for  she  thought  that 
her  brain  had  been  turned. 

Still  Eurycleia  kept  on  saying,  'In  very  deed  Odysseus  is  here. 
He  is  that  guest  whom  all  the  wooers  dishonour  in  the  hall.' 

Then  hearing  Eurycleia  say  these  words,  Penelope  sprang  out 
of  bed  and  put  her  arms  round  the  nurse's  neck.  'O  tell  me  — 
if  what  thou  dost  say  be  true  —  tell  me  how  this  stranger  slew 
the  wooers,  who  were  so  many.' 

'I  did  not  see  the  slaying,'  Eurycleia  said,  'but  I  heard 
the  groaning  of  the  men  as  they  were  slain.  And  then  I 
found  Odysseus  standing  amongst  many  dead  men,  and  it  com- 
forted my  heart  to  see  him  standing  there  like  a  lion  aroused. 
Come  with  me  now,  lady,  that  you  may  both  enter  into  your 
heart's  delight  —  you  that  have  suffered  so  much  of  affliction. 


244  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

Thy  lord  hath  come  alive  to  his  own  hearth,  and  he  hath  found 
his  wife  and  his  son  alive  and  well.' 

'Ah  no!'  said  Penelope,  'ah  no,  Odysseus  hath  not  returned. 
He  who  hath  slain  the  wooers  is  one  of  the  deathless  gods,  come 
down  to  punish  them  for  their  injustice  and  their  hardhearted- 
ness.  Odysseus  long  ago  lost  the  way  of  his  returning,  and  he  is 
lying  dead  in  some  far-off  land.' 

'No,  no,'  said  Eurycleia.  'I  can  show  thee  that  it  is  Odysseus 
indeed  who  is  in  the  hall.  On  his  foot  is  the  scar  that  the  tusk 
of  a  boar  gave  him  in  the  old  days.  I  spied  it  when  I  was  washing 
his  feet  last  night,  and  I  would  have  told  thee  of  it,  but  he  clapped 
a  hand  across  my  mouth  to  stop  my  speech.  Lo,  I  stake  my  life 
that  it  is  Odysseus,  and  none  other  who  is  in  the  hall  below.' 

Saying  this  she  took  Penelope  by  the  hand  and  led  her  from  the 
upper  chamber  into  the  hall.  Odysseus  was  standing  by  a  tall 
pillar.  He  waited  there  for  his  wife  to  come  and  speak  to  him. 
But  Penelope  stood  still,  and  gazed  long  upon  him,  and  made  no 
step  towards  him. 

Then  said  Telemachus,  'Mother,  can  it  be  that  thy  heart  is 
so  hard  ?  Here  is  my  father,  and  thou  wilt  not  go  to  him  nor 
question  him  at  all.' 

Said  Penelope,  'My  mind  is  amazed  and  I  have  no  strength 
to  speak,  nor  to  ask  him  aught,  nor  even  to  look  on  him  face  to 
face.  If  this  is  indeed  Odysseus  who  hath  come  home,  a  place 
has  to  be  prepared  for  him.' 

Then  Odysseus  spoke  to  Telemachus  and  said,  'Go  now  to 


246  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

the  bath,  and  make  thyself  clean  of  the  stains  of  battle.  I  will 
stay  and  speak  with  thy  lady  mother.' 

'Strange  lady,'  said  he  to  Penelope,  'is  thy  heart  indeed  so 
hard?  No  other  woman  in  the  world,  I  think,  would  stand  so 
aloof  from  her  husband  who,  after  so  much  toil  and  so  many 
trials,  has  come  back  after  twenty  years  to  his  own  hearth.  Is 
there  no  place  for  me  here,  and  must  I  again  sleep  in  the  stranger's 
bed?' 

Said  Penelope,  'In  no  stranger's  bed  wilt  thou  lie,  my  lord. 
Come,  Eurycleia.  Set  up  for  him  his  own  bedstead  outside  his 
bed-chamber.' 

Then  Odysseus  said  to  her,  speaking  in  anger:  'How  comes 
it  that  my  bed  can  be  moved  to  this  place  and  that  ?  Not  a  bed 
of  that  kind  was  the  bed  I  built  for  myself.  Knowest  thou  not 
how  I  built  my  bed  ?  First,  there  grew  up  in  the  courtyard  an 
olive  tree.  Round  that  olive  tree  I  built  a  chamber,  and  I  roofed 
it  well  and  I  set  doors  to  it.  Then  I  sheared  off  all  the  light 
wood  on  the  growing  olive  tree,  and  I  rough-hewed  the  trunk  with 
the  adze,  and  I  made  the  tree  into  a  bed  post.  Beginning  with 
this  bed  post  I  wrought  a  bedstead,  and  when  I  finished  it,  I 
inlaid  it  with  silver  and  ivory.  Such  was  the  bed  I  built  for 
myself,  and  such  a  bed  could  not  be  moved  to  this  place  or  that.' 

Then  did  Penelope  know  assuredly  that  the  man  who  stood  be- 
fore her  was  indeed  her  husband,  the  steadfast  Odysseus —  none 
other  knew  of  where  the  bed  was  placed,  and  how  it  had  been  built. 
Penelope  fell  a-weeping  and  she  put  her  arms  round  his  neck. 


AND    THE  TALE    OF  TROY 


247 


'O  Odysseus,  my  lord,'  she  said,  'be  not  angry  with  thy  wife. 
Always  the  fear  was  in  my  heart  that  some  guileful  stranger 
should  come  here  professing  to  be  Odysseus,  and  that  I  should 
take  him  to  me  as  my  husband.  How  terrible  such  a  thing  would 
be !  But  now  my  heart  is  freed  from  all  doubts.  Be  not  angry 
with  me,  Odysseus,  for  not  throwing  myself  on  thy  neck,  as  the 
women  of  the  house  did.' 

Then  husband  and  wife  wept  together,  and  Penelope  said, 
'It  was  the  gods  did  this  to  us,  Odysseus  —  the  gods  who 
grudged  that  we  should  have  joy  of  the  days  of  our  youth.' 

Next  they  told  each  other  of  things  that  happened  in  the 
twenty  years  they  were  apart;  Odysseus  speaking  of  his  own 
toils  and  sorrows,  and  Penelope  telling  what  she  had  endured  at 
the  hands  of  the  wooers.  And  as  they  told  tales,  one  to  the  other, 
slumber  came  upon  them,  and  the  dawn  found  them  sleeping  side 
by  side. 


XVII 

ND  still  many  dangers  had  to  be  faced. 
The  wooers  whom  Odysseus  had  slain 
were  the  richest  and  the  most  powerful  of 
the  lords  of  Ithaka  and  the  Islands ;  all 
of  them  had  fathers  and  brothers  who 
would  fain  avenge  them  upon  their  slayer. 
Now  before  anyone  in  the  City  knew 
that  he  had  returned,  Odysseus  went  forth  to  the  farm  that 


248  THE  ADVENTURES   OF   ODYSSEUS 

Laertes,  his  old  father,  stayed  at.  As  he  drew  near  he  saw  an 
old  man  working  in  the  vineyard,  digging  round  a  plant.  When 
he  came  to  him  he  saw  that  this  old  man  was  not  a  slave  nor  a 
servant,  but  Laertes,  his  own  father. 

When  he  saw  him,  wasted  with  age  and  all  uncaredfor,  Odysseus 
stood  still,  leaning  his  hand  against  a  pear  tree  and  sorrowing 
in  his  heart.  Old  Laertes  kept  his  head  down  as  he  stood  digging 
at  the  plant,  and  he  did  not  see  Odysseus  until  he  stood  before 
him  and  said  : 

'Old  man,  thou  dost  care  for  this  garden  well  and  all  things 
here  are  flourishing  —  fig  tree,  and  vine,  and  olive,  and  pear. 
But,  if  a  stranger  may  say  it,  thine  own  self  is  not  cared  for  well.' 

'Who  art  thou  that  dost  speak  to  me  like  this?'  old  Laertes 
said,  lifting  his  head. 

'I  am  a  stranger  in  Ithaka,'  said  Odysseus.  'I  seek  a  man 
whom  I  once  kindly  treated  —  a  man  whose  name  was  Odysseus. 
A  stranger,  he  came  to  me,  and  he  declared  that  he  was  of  Ithaka, 
and  that  one  day  he  would  give  me  entertainment  for  the  enter- 
tainment I  had  given  him.     I  know  not  if  this  man  be  still  alive.' 

Old  Laertes  wept  before  Odysseus.  'Ah,'  said  he,  'if  thou 
hadst  been  able  to  find  him  here,  the  gifts  you  gave  him  would 
not  have  been  bestowed  in  vain.  True  hospitality  thou  wouldst 
have  received  from  Odysseus,  my  son.  But  he  has  perished  — 
far  from  his  country's  soil  he  has  perished,  the  hapless  man,  and 
his  mother  wept  not  over  him,  nor  his  wife,  nor  me,  his  father.  ' 

So  he  spake  and  then  with  his  hands  he  took  up  the  dust  of  the 


250  THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 

ground,  and  he  strewed  it  over  his  head  in  his  sorrow.  The 
heart  of  Odysseus  was  moved  with  grief.  He  sprang  forward 
and  fell  on  his  father's  neck  and  he  kissed  him,  saying  : 

'Behold  I  am  here,  even  I,  my  father.  I,  Odysseus,  have 
come  back  to  mine  own  country.  Cease  thy  lamentation  until 
I  tell  thee  of  the  things  that  have  happened.  I  have  slain  the 
wooers  in  mine  hall,  and  I  have  avenged  all  their  injuries  and  all 
their  wrongful  doings.  Dost  thou  not  believe  this,  my  father? 
Then  look  on  what  I  will  show  thee.  Behold  on  my  foot  the 
mark  of  the  boar's  tusk  —  there  it  is  from  the  days  of  my 
youth.' 

Laertes  looked  down  on  the  bare  foot,  and  he  saw  the  scar,  but 
still  his  mind  was  clouded  by  doubt.  But  then  Odysseus  took 
him  through  the  garden,  and  he  told  him  of  the  fruit  trees  that 
Laertes  had  set  for  him  when  he,  Odysseus,  was  a  little  child, 
following  his  father  about  the  garden  —  thirteen  pear  trees,  and 
ten  apple  trees,  and  forty  fig  trees. 

When  Odysseus  showed  him  these  Laertes  knew  that  it  was 
his  son  indeed  who  stood  before  him  —  his  son  come  back  after 
twenty  years'  wandering.  He  cast  his  arms  around  his  neck, 
and  Odysseus  caught  him  fainting  to  his  breast,  and  led  him  into 
the  house. 

Within  the  house  were  Telemachus,  and  Eumasus  the  swine- 
herd and  Philcetius  the  cattleherd.  They  all  clasped  the  hand 
of  Laertes  and  their  words  raised  his  spirits.  Then  he  was 
bathed,  and,  when  he  came  from  the  bath,  rubbed  with  olive  oil 


AND   THE  TALE   OF   TROY 


251 


he  looked  hale  and  strong.  Odysseus  said  to  him,  'Father, 
surely  one  of  the  gods  has  made  thee  goodlier  and  greater  than 
thou  wert  a  while  ago.' 

Said  the  old  hero  Laertes  :  'Ah,  my  son,  would  that  I  had  such 
might  as  when,  long  before  thou  wert  born,  I  took  the  Castle  of 
Nericus  there  upon  the  Foreland.  Would  that  in  such  might, 
and  with  such  mail  upon  my  shoulders,  I  stood  with  thee  yester- 
day when  thou  didst  fight  with  the  wooers.' 

HELE  they  were  speaking  in  this  way  the 
rumour  of  the  slaying  of  the  wooers  went 
through  the  City.  Then  those  who  were 
related  to  the  men  slain  went  into  the 
courtyard  of  Odysseus'  house,  and  brought 
forth  the  bodies.  Those  who  belonged  to 
Ithaka  they  buried,  and  those  who  be- 
longed to  the  Islands  they  put  upon  ships,  and  sent  them  with 
fisherfolk,  each  to  his  own  home.  Many  were  wroth  with 
Odysseus  for  the  slaying  of  a  friend.  He  who  was  the  most 
wroth  was  Eupeithes,  the  father  of  Antinous. 

There  was  an  assembly  of  the  men  of  the  country,  and  Eupeithes 
spake  in  it,  and  all  who  were  there  pitied  him.  He  told  how 
Odysseus  had  led  away  the  best  of  the  men  of  Ithaka,  and  how 
he  had  lost  them  in  his  ships.  And  he  told  them  how,  when  he 
returned,  he  slew  the  noblest  of  the  men  of  Ithaka  and  the  Islands 
in  his  own  hall.  He  called  upon  them  to  slay  Odysseus  saying, 
'If  we  avenge  not  ourselves  on  the  slayer  of  our  kin  we  will  be 


252  THE   ADVENTURES  OF  ODYSSEUS 

scorned  for  all  time  as  weak  and  cowardly  men.  As  for  me,  life 
will  be  no  more  sweet  to  me.  I  would  rather  die  straightway 
and  be  with  the  departed.  Up  now,  and  let  us  attack  Odysseus 
and  his  followers  before  they  take  ship  and  escape  across  the  sea.' 

Many  in  that  assembly  put  on  their  armour  and  went  out  with 
old  Eupeithes.  And  as  they  went  through  the  town  they  met 
with  Odysseus  and  his  following  as  they  were  coming  from  the 
house  of  Laertes. 

Now  as  the  two  bands  came  close  to  each  other  —  Odysseus 
with  Telemachus  and  Laertes;  with  the  swineherd  and  the 
cattleherd;  with  Dolius,  Laertes'  servant,  and  with  the  six  sons 
of  Dolius  —  and  Eupeithes  with  his  friends  —  a  great  figure 
came  between.  It  was  the  figure  of  a  tall,  fair  and  splendid 
woman.     Odysseus  knew  her  for  the  goddess  Pallas  Athene. 

'Hold  your  hands  from  tierce  righting,  ye  men  of  Ithaka,' 
the  goddess  called  out  in  a  terrible  voice.  'Hold  your  hands.' 
Straightway  the  arms  fell  from  each  man's  hands.  Then  the 
goddess  called  them  together,  and  she  made  them  enter  into  a 
covenant  that  all  bloodshed  and  wrong  would  be  forgotten,  and 
that  Odysseus  would  be  left  to  rule  Ithaka  as  a  King,  in  peace. 

So  ends  the  story  of  Odysseus  who  went  with  King  Agamemnon 
to  the  wars  of  Troy ;  who  made  the  plan  of  the  Wooden  Horse 
by  which  Priam's  City  was  taken  at  last ;  who  missed  the  way 
of  his  return,  and  came  to  the  Land  of  the  Lotus-eaters ;  who 
came  to  the  Country  of  the  dread  Cyclopes,  to  the  Island  of 
/Solus  and  to  the  house  of  Circe,  the  Enchantress ;  who  heard 


254 


THE   ADVENTURES   OF  ODYSSEUS 


the  song  of  the  Sirens,  and  came  to  the  Rocks  Wandering,  and 
to  the  terrible  Charybdis,  and  to  Scylla,  past  whom  no  other 
man  had  won  scatheless ;  who  landed  on  the  Island  where  the 
Cattle  of  the  Sun  grazed,  and  who  stayed  upon  Ogygia,  the  home 
of  the  nymph  Calypso  ;  so  ends  the  story  of  Odysseus,  who  would 
have  been  made  deathless  and  ageless  by  Calypso  if  he  had  not 
yearned  always  to  come  back  to  his  own  hearth  and  his  own 
land.  And  spite  of  all  his  troubles  and  his  toils  he  was  for- 
tunate, for  he  found  a  constant  wife  and  a  dutiful  son  and  a 
father  still  alive  to  weep  over  him. 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America. 


THE         BATH 


THE       BOUND 


I 


:    S    S 


J  L. 


5  eai( 


